Lost Love
by ladygodess
Summary: Rewritten: Bakura, Marik and Malik are demons, in the human world, after a war and death of a loved one, and find him again? read to find out, better summary inside, with side of YYXY and SxJ
1. Chapter 1

Okay due to the extreme boredom, and plus I'm tired as it's 12:30 am I had a brainstorm. YES that's right, a brainstorm. I'm doing this story over, making it better, (sighs) I read over **The House Of Motou** and thought it was rushed, and not that good. So I Ladygodess, am re-doing it. SO, that means if you liked the original then save it, do whatever, I'll be taking it down after I have finished with re-doing it, and I'm changing the name too, as it really didn't have anything to do with Yami and Yugi as it was my first story and I had no idea what I was doing, there will be a few new chaps added as well and a few news parts, well ideas that I had for the original but never put them in, it'll be re-named and re-done brand new and shiny just for you. (smiles)

**Warnings:** this is **M**, but this story will earn that **M**, as well as **Yaoi** later on. Which if you don't know what that is? It's boy/boy love. So that means if you are squeamish and it makes you go. "EWWW! GROSS!" Then that's a good indication that you're in the wrong place, and you should go and read something else, thank you.

**Summary:** Bakura, Marik and Malik are demons, in the human world, after a war and death of a loved one, and centuries of roaming around from country to country. They come to a town and they come across their long lost love, WHAT are the chances of that happening? Anyway. When they meet and tell him what they are and who he is to them, will he believe them? Or freak out and run away? O.o Pairings are MxMxBxR. With sides of. YxY. JxS.

**Disclaimer:** Well, (looks thoughtful) Hmm… I'm not rich… I'm not a middle aged Japanese man O.O… and I don't live in Japan, so you work it out.

Just so you know this is a re-written version of The House of Motou now CALLED! **LOST LOVE** by me Ladygodess.

**CHAP 1**

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**XXX… Flashback dream…XXX**

Three figures knelt down on the ground holding a boy in their arms. As men ran about shouting and barking orders and pain screams for help rang out in the background. As the three held a dieing boy in their arms, "you can't go" a teen with, platinum blonde hair was sobbing desperately into his chest and clenched his tanned fists in the blood soaked clothes of the boy. Another that had dark brown eyes and white hair and pale skin, brushed the blood-soaked hair from the boy's chocolate brown eyes, and smiled sadly at him.

"We'll get you help, just hold on, you'll be alright" he pulled the boy closer to him. A third one, with tear filled dark lavender eyes, and tanned caramel skin, and wild platinum blonde hair held the boys other hand and caressed his cheek, he was crying with his head bowed and whispered softly "I love you."

The boy reached up a bloody shaky hand, the one with the white hair took it right away with his own and brought it to his cheek. He opened his light brown eyes, his vision blurred "I ….I will…find my way" he coughed up blood it ran down to his chin and neck, which only made the one on his chest cry harder, "back to…. you… just don't forget me.". His eyes closed and his hands went limp.

**XXX… End flashback dream…XXX**

'_Today is going to be a beautiful day in our fair city of Domino. So if you're off to work, we have, the beats to help you along.' _Then a beat started up followed by singing_ '__I am alone, but adored. By a hundred thousand more. Then I said, when you were the last.''_

A teen with white hair that fell all over a green pillow and face, he groaned and rolled over in his bed at the sound of his alarm clock radio. He sighed and scrunched up his eyes, not wanting to get up just yet from his warm bed, but he had no choice in the matter really. He sat up and rubbed his eyes tiredly his white hair fell to the middle of his back and he swung his legs out and stood up and stretched his muscles, turning off the radio before leaving to have a quick shower.

He had been in there for a bit, just letting the hot water run over his sore pale body, that was lined with cuts, scrapes, bruises and a few burns. He closed his eyes and thought back on the dreams that started a little over four months ago, they were always the same, started and ended the same. But the people that were in it, he never saw their faces or really heard their voices that well and they seemed to be sad. He shook his head. '_No one would be that upset over me.' _ He pushed it aside with a sigh like he did every time, passing it off as his subconscious, telling him he read too much manga and comic books, and wishing for something that was just not possible with someone like him.

It wasn't long when he stepped out in his school uniform, he walked back into his room and glanced in the mirror, he wore black shoes, dark blue pants a white shirt with a dark blue jacket over the top. Satisfied with how he looked, he left the room and walked out into the hall, and stopped just outside his father's bedroom door. He bit his lip and looked hesitant for a minute and took the chance to look in and see if his father was home. His eyes scanned the dark room, he wrinkled his nose at the smell that met him, the aroma of cigarette smoke, mixed with the smell of alcohol and sweat. He sighed as his father had actually made it to his bed this time, but what was more surprising was that he had made it home from the bar.

He closed the door silently not wanting to wake his father up. He then moved through the rest of the apartment without making a noise, he grabbed his book bag and just opened the front door, when. "WER TH HEL AR YR?" (Translation: where the hell are you:) Ryou paled, his father was awake. _'No, this was not good at all.'_ Thinking quickly he dashed out the door and closed it, then ran off down the hall.

It wasn't long when he walked through the gates of the school. He looked up at the sky and close his eyes then opened them and sighed, he was just happy to be here, and away from home. He walked to the building pulling open the large door and stepped inside, and made his way to his locker, walking through the mass of students that were shoving each other and throwing things about. He made it to his locker with little hassle, he heard his name being called out over the shouting in the hallways. He looked around to see where it was coming from. He smiled at the short boy with tri-coloured hair, black, with red tips, and gold bands, and big crimson eyes with a hint of blue, the same uniform, but with a black studded collar and one on each wrist. "Ryou" he was panting out of breath.

"I was wondering… if I can get the notes from… last nights… homework?" He had his hands on his knees, to catch his breath.

"I didn't bring them with me. But I can help you with it if you want." He pulled out some books and closed the locker, he was more than happy to help his friend out. Yugi nodded his head and followed Ryou to class.

The whole day was boring and filled with the usual high school stuff, of writing, reading answering questions, listing to the teachers and getting assignments handed out to every student like they had no life outside of daily prison. When they were let out for lunch. Ryou would spend his lunchtime talking and eating with Yugi and a few of his other friends.

Ryou sighed and looked around, school was let out for the day, and he was waiting for Yugi and his friends to come out. They had asked him to come to the arcade with them. He never liked the arcade, but if it kept him out and away from home that little bit longer then he would go with them. He looked up to see Yugi, Duke, Joey and Anzu approaching him, and soon they walked together to the arcade, as usual Joey was trying to borrow money from his friends, and Duke teasing him about it, which ended up in them almost killing each other.

On arriving the group split up, Duke and Joey going for the more action games, as Yugi dragged Ryou off to the air hockey tables, leaving Anzu to do whatever she wanted, she normally watched them or went over to the dace simulator and kicked ass on anyone that challenged her. Yugi had won a few games that he and Ryou played, and that one too, as the puck went through the goal on Ryou's side and the buzzer went off, he sighed he was no good at games really as he hardly played them, but played them anyway. He smiled brightly "great game Yugi" he said as he stepped away from the game table, a few kids ran past him to get to the game almost pushing him out of the way. Ryou shook his head as he moved to Yugi and they walked away.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" Yugi asked as he walked to the food stand, Ryou nodded his head and followed him, and they ordered and took the tray to a table in the back and sat down.

"So what are you doing for this weekend?" Yugi asked taking a drink, Ryou stopped his hand in mid air holding a can of soft drink and paled and blinked a few times

"I don't know, I forgot all about it." Ryou lowered his head and hand how was that possible? The weekend meant he would be home with his father for the few days. Meaning a few days of fun for his father and torture on his account. He needed to think of something anything, as it was Wednesday already.

"How could ya forget man?" Joey sat down next to Yugi taking a few chips, from his plate.

"Ryou, just come over and stay the weekend." Yugi frowned and slapped Joey's hand away. Yugi knew about Ryou's father, and often Yugi had Ryou sleep over to save him a beating, feed him and just maybe treat his wounds that he couldn't reach like on his back.

"Thanks Yugi, I just might do that." He gave him a smile, it was so often that Ryou just accepted the offer right away. When he moved here from England a few years back and met Yugi and his little gang. When they found out that Ryou was constantly abused. Yugi and Joey wanted to help him out when they could, but Ryou never did and refused any help from anyone saying that he didn't know what they were talking about. But as he got to know Yugi and his persistent ways, Ryou gave in at the end and let the boy help him. "As long as your grandpa doesn't mind."

"No, he actually likes you." Yugi pushed the chips over to Joey he gave up on trying to keep him away, Joey let out a whoop of joy and dug in, but stopped and blinked stupidly as Yugi's words sunk in.

"What? So your sayin dat your grandpa doesn't like me?" Joey had a shocked look on his face and a mouthful of food with a chip hanging out.

"I'm not saying that Joey, he likes you too." Yugi laughed as Ryou smiled.

"Well dat's good because everyone likes me." He slapped Yugi on the back. Ryou raised an eyebrow as Yugi coughed and nearly choked on his drink.

"Well anyway, we'll stop past your place and get your stuff for tonight and the weekend." Yugi looked around and then back to the table.

"Tonight?" Ryou asked.

"Yeah, tonight as in a long weekend." Yugi smirked devilishly, as Joey just looked confused trying to work it out, on how a Wednesday turned in to a long weekend.

Duke came out from nowhere. "Don't hurt yourself." He hit Joey on the back, Yugi and Ryou laughed.

"I have more smarts den anyone here." He boasted.

"Yeah if you only count the games and the ten year olds." Duke grinned as Joey got up and chased him around the arcade.

Later on that afternoon Yugi and Ryou walked through the apartment building. The building was neat and tidy as was the inside. Ryou opened the door and crept in with Yugi following. Ryou scanned the room, the living room was right in front of him and to his right was a small kitchen with the counter separating the living room from the kitchen, and a small area with dinning table and just off to the side on the left was a small hallway of three doors, Ryou's on the left his fathers on the right and the bathroom at the end.

Ryou walked passed the dinning table he put his finger to his lips and motioned for Yugi to be quite, as he wasn't sure if his father was home, as there were no signs of his father in any of the rooms. Yugi nodded his head as they walked to Ryou's room. Ryou quickly stopped and looked into his father's bedroom and found him not to be home at all, he sighed with relief. "He's not home." Ryou said as he smiled to a nervous Yugi.

"Good lets get your stuff and get out of here before he does." Yugi said as he moved to Ryou's door and opened it. Ryou walked in after him and grabbed a bag from his closet and packed a few changes of clothes, he left the room and grabbed a few things from the bathroom then came back.

"That's all I need." Ryou looked through his bag one more time, Yugi put down the comic book on the bed and grabbed Ryou's book bag, and left the room. As they were heading to the door, it swung open and Ryou's father blocked them from leaving. Ryou swallowed the lump in his throat and pushed Yugi behind him and both took a step back. His eyes widened, as realisation drowned on him, how was he going to get Yugi out of here unharmed? Ryou knew that his father wouldn't care, and give Yugi a beating after he got his. Ryou shook his head, he couldn't let that happen to his friend, though it had happened a few times in the past and Yugi was hit a few times across the face and Ryou stepped in drowning the attention of the old man onto him while Yugi escaped.

Yugi's grandpa asked where Yugi had gotten the black eye from, and they both told him that it was just bullies at school, but after Ryou's father had broken Yugi's arm, was when Ryou and Yugi told him the truth, and Yugi's grandpa forbid his grandson from going over to Ryou's place after that, but Yugi being the friend that he was never listened, but Ryou tried to keep Yugi away as much as passable.

"Yugi, run when I say, and lock yourself in my room and get out." He whispered so only Yugi could hear.

"No, we're going to get out together." Yugi grabbed on to his dark blue jacket and pulled Ryou back more with him.

"W-wat… ar u g.. oing?" (Translation: what are you doing? Sorry I don't do drunken talk, so this will be the last :p) He slurred and staggered forward a bit, but fell to the floor with a heavy thud. Ryou and Yugi blinked confused for a minute at the unconscious man on the floor snoring, it all registered in their minds at what just happened and both boys sighed in relief.

"Come on Yugi." Ryou pulled his hand and moved to the door. "Before he wakes up."

"Are you just going… to leave him there?" Yugi asked eyeing the man on the floor, not that he really cared.

"Yes." Was the simple reply with a shrug of Ryou's shoulders. They both stepped over Ryou's father, as he was right in the doorway. His feet stuck out in the hallway preventing them from closing the door, and Ryou wasn't going to move him, and in his mind hissed the words '_suffer_'at the man and hoped that he would wake up with the mother of all hangovers. Yugi and Ryou left the building, and headed over to Yugi's house or known as the Turtle Game Shop.

They were walking down the street, just a few blocks from Yugi's place, a few people walking about and some cars going by on the road, as it was starting to get dark and everyone was going home or going out to dinner. "Grandpa got some really good games in this morning." Yugi said as they passed the park.

Ryou smiled and walked about to reply when, they were both thrown into the park literally. But before Ryou could stand up, he was pined to a tree with such force that Ryou almost passed out. The person that was holding him was growling like a savage dog. Ryou whimpered in fear and shut his eyes tightly. The figure had pulled Ryou's head back by his hair roughly. Ryou could feel the hot breath on his neck. The figure stopped and pulled back slightly, then gasped.

Ryou took this opportunity and kneed the guy hard where no man should be, and shoved him off "sick-o." Ryou was not going to be a victim of a sick persons way of getting off. Ryou ran with a limp over to Yugi while their attacker was distracted. Ryou grabbed Yugi by the back of his shirt, and pulled him up off the ground and on to his feet, he dragged him along "Come on, run Yugi." They ran out of the park and head right for the game shop. Ryou looked back and the figure was gone, he looked back ahead of them, all he was worried about was getting them to safety. The lights of the shop came into view "run faster Yugi." He picked up his pace pulling Yugi along, they reached the house and closed the door and locked it.

"Are you okay?" Ryou asked once they were inside he was leaning on the door heavily, and Yugi who was on the floor.

"Yeah, thanks to you." He got up off the floor and brushed the dirt off his pants and shirt then looked up at Ryou. "He just scared me that's all" he gave Ryou a smile.

"Just as long, as you're okay? No broken bones or anything like that." Ryou took off his jacket.

"I'm fine really, what about you?" Yugi asked.

"I'm fine." Ryou winced a little his back hurt but not that much, but he would feel it in the morning.

"You sure took care of him" Yugi giggled and walked up the stairs.

"Yeah… he was asking for it." Ryou smirked as he followed him, he was happy that Yugi was fine and that nothing bad had happened to them.

**

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**

**XXX...P.O.V…XXX **

I looked around the area scanning for what I was looking for and that was a quick meal. Yeah, it's early but I won't get a chance later on. My stomach growls in anticipation for the food coming.

I just happen to be in the arcade looking at all the happy meals on legs, kids running around without a care in the world, and that monsters really do exist in the night, I grin that's me, but after a while of walking around for a bit and not seeing an opportunity here for an easy meal. I sigh in annoyance so I would have to leave and hit the streets. I love to hunt, the whole cat and mouse thing. IS GREAT! And I recommend that everyone should try it sometime.

I landed on a streetlight to get a better look, for that one person alone, or the vulnerable type, you can tell which ones they are, by how they carry themselves. I grin as I see two teens walking down just past the park, I size them up one is short and the other is about my height but a little shorter, I frown 'wait a minute?' I shake my head and clutch my stomach as it twists in pain and all thoughts are gone but for the hunger. "Just perfect" I smirk to myself I can take them both. I flew down off the streetlight I was on, and landed right behind them I grabbed them both in each hand and threw them into the park and looked around, to see if anyone saw me.

I flew in right after them and seeing one of them trying to get up, so I pinned him to the tree. Number one rule. Well my number one rule is never look at your food. They give you the, '_I'm scared_,' and '_innocent_' look, so I lean in to take a bite. I jerked his head back by his hair, and my lips just touched his neck. A scent filled my scenes that almost made me go weak at the knees. I pulled back a bit he smelt so familiar to me, a smell that I hadn't smelt in a long time. I went to look at him to see who he was.

Then I got a glimpse of white hair, that didn't register before I attacked them. I gasped and loosened my grip a bit, _'it couldn't be?'_ I was shocked, but then he kneed me, right in the…well lets just say I won't be using it for a while, and shoved me off him "sick-o." I bit back a scream, and fell to the ground it hurt even for me. I rolled over to see him pull the other one up. "Come on, run Yugi" and they ran off out of the park.

I got up shakily and flew into the tree that I was under. I didn't get a good look at him. I see him look back and then they ran into a house. I smirked to myself I can find him again, and judging from the clothes he was wearing, he went to the local school. I leapt into the air spreading my wings and flew off into the night.

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**TBC**

The song that I used at the start of this chap was the Dandy Warhols-You were the last high, great song I think anyway, so let me know that my hard work in fixing this up paid off and if it was better than the original, I'll be doing a little work on the Demons of the Night, not much just a little as these stories just didn't turn out as I had planed them to. Anyway **R&R **me.


	2. Chapter 2

Here I am again with another chap and a few new changes for you, and a few new parts that I have added that should make the story go a little more smoother, hope you like it better, just this whole story seemed rushed and (bangs head on desk) I JUST! Had to fix the mess. It bothered me really badly, Anyway I'm telling you something that _you_ already know… so read on my lovelies.

**Warnings:** this story is still trying to earn that **M**, as well as **Yaoi**. Remember its boy/boy love. Don't like it then don't read, thank you. Oh by the way I'm not naming the chaps either but for their numbers

**Disclaimer:** Okay lets clear this up, I do NOT own **Yugioh** or claim to, or the few lyrics I put in here and there in the chaps but this will be the last time.

**CHAP 2 **

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**

'_It's now half past six, and it's going to be another B. E. A. Utiful day in our fair city, the sky is clear and the sun is shining.' _The beat started.

A tanned body rolled over in the large empty bed, platinum blonde hair fell over a gold coloured silk pillow, and his face half hidden in it and arms held the pillow tightly. He mumbled out a name that had been lost to him for quite some time, passed from his lips in almost a purr and rang out clearly in the room. Light lavender eyes fluttered open slowly. The first thing that came into focus was the hand painted portrait on the far wall, with four teens in it, two standing with their arms wrapped around the waists of the two smaller ones, standing in front of them, who were smiling happily and the two up the back seemed to be smirking.

'_The summer sun is fading as the year grows old. And darker days are drawing near.  
The winter winds will be much colder. Now you're not here.' _

The radio was the only thing that could be heard, and tears filled the light lavender eyes as they lingered on the smallest one in the portrait. He buried his face into the pillow and his body started to shake with the force of his sobs.

'_I watch the birds fly south across the autumn sky. And one by one they disappear.  
I wish that I was flying with them. Now you're not here.'_

He reached out a hand and turned off the radio it lingered on the button for a minute, and listened to the silence of the room. He soon sat up wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, and got up and headed to the adjoined bathroom, if he was seen like this then it would only cause the ones that he cared for to worry and ask questions, and he didn't want that at all.

He stepped into the hot spray of the water and let it run over his well-toned tan body. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back as the spray hit him in the face to wash away the tears that wouldn't stop falling. '_How long has it been?_' He thought painfully, '_to long.'_ He sighed and felt the weight of pain in his chest and with sad realization that it had never really left, he spread out his large black wings and ruffled them in the spray. '_But why am I thinking about… him for?_' His hands turned into fists on the white and black marble tiles in front of him. '_That scent from last night, it smelt just like him_.' He crumbled to the bottom of the shower as he let out a choked sob, '_I'm going insane. Now I'm starting to smell him on people.'_ He looked up at the ceiling and snarled showing his fangs. "You hate me, I know it, and your laughing your ass off at me right now." He said out loud then looked down.

"I won't go back to that place." He hissed to himself and right then, he cursed every living thing on earth to burn and die. '_Finish up and get dressed, go out and get something to eat… or someone.' _He snapped out of his depressed mood slowly. '_That always cheers you up_.' He smirked, and then said out loud "Yes it does."

He walked into the bedroom and got dressed, in a light lavender hooded top that stopped half way down showing off his navel and tan khaki pants that had more pockets than anything, and hugged his hips and black boots, gold earrings, chokers, wrist bands and a gold ring on his upper left arm.

He was about to walk out the door after a glance in the mirror at himself, he spotted a note on the dresser. He frowned and walked over and picked it up, and read it over and smirked.

"It seems that I have the day to myself." He scrunched up the note and dropped it into the bin, so they would know that he read it. He made his way down stairs to the front door. He grabbed his helmet and keys on the way out.

He walked down the path to the garage pushing a button on the key ring and waited for the doors to open. It was big enough to fit five cars into it, which was lucky because they owned three cars and two motorbikes. He spotted the red Dodge viper GTS, passed the black Lamborghini Countach, as the sliver MX5 BMW was gone and one of the Harley Davidson motorbikes as well. He mounted the only Harley left and started it up and roared out of there, the doors closing behind him as he sped down the street to the mall, for a day of shopping and food.

**

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**

'_A gentle rain falls softly on my weary eyes. As if to hide a lonely tear… My life will be_ _forever autumn. Cause you're not here.'_

Ryou ran into the guest room that he stayed in the night before, turned off the radio and grabbed his book bag and ran down stairs. He dropped it next to Yugi's bag right near the front door of the house. He walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table with Yugi. Ryou then started on his breakfast that was placed in front of him. "I just don't see why, you don't move in here with us? You stay here a lot more than anybody."

"I can't Yugi." Ryou said as he looked up from his plate of pancakes, knowing that there would be some law that would stop this from happening.

"We wouldn't mind at all, In fact it would be good to have an extra pair of hands around the house." Yugi's grandpa said as he sat down and smiled at Ryou.

"Don't you mean around the shop?" Yugi mumbled as he glanced at his grandpa, but the old man didn't hear it, but Ryou was holding in his giggles. "Anyway you could have the guest room as your own room." He said and Yugi had a hopeful look on his face.

"But what about my?…I just don't want to be any trouble." Ryou poked at his food, the two had done so much for him already.

"Don't be silly, you're never any trouble. I can see a few of my old friends and see what they have to say about finding away for you to stay here." He said while looking thoughtful.

"You can do that?'" Ryou asked a little doubtful.

"Would it hurt to try and have you in a home where you don't have to worry when you're going to be fed, and in fear about when your going to be beaten next." He said sternly.

"I guess." Ryou looked down, he didn't think that he could imagine living like that.

"Well, then just make yourself at home." Yugi's grandpa got up from the table. "I have to open the shop now." He then left the room

"So will you move in?" Yugi was almost jumping up and down in his place excitedly.

"Yes, I will." He smiled, but then his eyes widened as Yugi jumped over the table at him. Knocking them both to the floor, he basically crushed Ryou in that hug. "BOY'S YOUR GOING TO BE LATE!" Both boys jumped up and ran to get their bags. They ran back through the house to the shop. "Bye grandpa!" Yugi called out, as they slowed to walking out the door. The old man waved them off as they walked down the street together.

Lunchtime came around and the whole school was let out. Ryou and Yugi were in line for their lunch in the cafeteria. When heavy arms sat on his shoulders all of a sudden, making Ryou jump out of his skin. "Hey there?" Came a voice in his ear, Ryou shuddered in a bad way.

"Hi, H-Honda." Ryou moved out from under the taller ones arms and stood next to Yugi.

"I have a game on, if you want to come watch me play?" He leaned in close to Ryou smirking, as Ryou shifted nervously biting his lip.

"I'm a little busy, so I'm sorry I really can't." Ryou said politely as he could, as Honda frowned at him.

"Just come and watch… or better yet we can hang out after school and you can stay over my place this weekend." He asked, Ryou paled and looked at Yugi then the tall teen with odd hair stile it stuck out in the front of his head and in two shades of brown.

"I can't I'm staying with Yugi this weekend." Ryou pointed out, Honda growled but stopped at seeing Yugi and stood up straight again.

"Well I suppose it can't be helped. We'll have to hang out another time then." He said and Ryou nodded his head eagerly not wanting to spend the time with him, he didn't mind Honda at all but he just liked to touch Ryou to often, whether it was on the arm, shoulder wherever, but it always left Ryou confused and very nervous and wanting to get away from him. But then Honda did something, which made Ryou gasp and freeze in place. He kissed Ryou on the cheek quickly then walked away disappearing into the crowed of teens in the room before he could say anything.

"Umm…" Yugi looked up at Ryou, who had a look on his face that no one could place not even Yugi himself. "I think that Honda likes you, like, likes you."

After a few minutes of shocked silence Ryou finally found his voice. "I think I have to talk to him." He looked down at Yugi who looked just as shocked as he did. They soon had gotten their food and took it outside under a tree to eat. Ryou was just happy that no one really took any notice of what had happened.

"So are we doing anything after school today?" Anzu asked, straightening her skirt with her hands and brought Ryou out of his thoughts.

"I think maybe the mall?" Yugi smiled at her, "plus Ryou needs some stuff."

"No, Yugi I can get what I need from home." Ryou said as if the words were poison.

"I don't think that's a good idea" Yugi frowned at him.

"Why not?" Anzu asked looking confused.

"I would rather… not say Anzu." Ryou said. That left no room for argument that's if he could pull something like that off, he didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings. She just nodded her head and let it go.

"Fine Yugi we'll go to the mall, if you like." Ryou sighed in defeat. They had sat outside, for a while and soon they had to head back to class.

Later that day the small group walked through the mall, Ryou had a few bags of clothes and other stuff, he had bought. He came out of a shop and was looking for Yugi, they had split up or got separated. Ryou sat down on a bench that wasn't to far from him, he put his bags down at his feet. "Do you mind if I sit down?" Ryou looked up and saw a teen about his age, with tan khaki pants, a sleeveless lavender top, tan skin, platinum blonde hair and lavender eyes that matched his top.

"Yeah sure." Ryou had found his voice.

"It's so busy in here." The teen said looking Ryou up and down and sat next to Ryou.

Ryou shifted a little to make room but there wasn't that much to begin with, as the bench wasn't that big really. "It always is." He whispered, he was shy and didn't like to talk to people he didn't know.

"I'm Malik." He held out his hand all of a sudden.

"Ahh … Ryou." He looked at the hand then hesitated in taking it in a shake, Ryou gave him a shy smile, but as Ryou gazed up into light lavender eyes, he felt his face heat up in a blush and his heart quicken in his chest, and his stomach felt like it had butterflies in it going mad, but what shocked him more was that he was leaning in as was Malik.

"RYOU!" He snapped his head around breaking him from whatever he was in, to look up to see Anzu and Yugi walking towards them with smiles and bags in their hands.

"Hey, did you get some good stuff?" She looked at the bags on the floor, and then to the guy that was sitting next to Ryou.

"Yeah I did." He gave her a smile.

"So, who's this?" Yugi asked, looking at the other on the seat.

"Just leaving." Malik stood up. "Nice to meet you Ryou, I'll see you around." He gave Ryou one last look of what Ryou could place was disappointment then left.

"Bye." Ryou called out after him feeling yet again for the hundredth time that day confused.

"Who was that?" Yugi asked sitting down next to Ryou.

"His name was… Malik." Ryou picked up his bags, and stood up, "he just sat down next to me."

"Oh… anyway we should think about going, its getting dark." Yugi stood up, and they headed for the exit of the mall.

**XXX… Malik's P.O.V…XXX**

I sighed, as I looked around at all the people I had been here for hours. I thought about going home and calling it a day, as there are better things I could be _doing_ right now. I shiver at that thought and a smirk that came all on it's own, that got me a few strange looks from people around me. My stomach growls at me letting me know that it wants food and not to neglect it. Malls are a good place for a meal. Yeah I'm the bottomless pit, _always _hungry. But I do also need clothes, got to keep up with the times. I was just walking through looking at stores glancing in the windows "Oh that's not bad, I like that." I stopped just outside a store they had great stuff inside.

But something caught my eye, and nose especially, that scent that could very well render me to my knees and put my mind in a state of a foggy haze if I let it. I looked around quickly to see where it would be coming from, the smell _was_ from the other night, from that kid that kicked me, '_IT STILL HURTS_.'

So I followed my nose to the source. I stopped when I saw him, sitting there on the bench like he had been there the whole time as if… do I dare say it? Waiting for me, as if destiny granted me the one wish that my heart wanted the most in this world, but it stopped and my breath hitched dieing in my throat, it was him, well it looked like him. I swallowed the lump in my throat. I just had to find out if it was him. I had to touch and feel him for myself, to make sure that this wasn't a dream.

I stood there for a few seconds. He doesn't see me, and the scent is so strong even amongst this pit of flesh. I needed to know, calming my nerves I found my voice. "Do you mind if I sit down?" He looks me over before his eyes meet mine, I almost fainted he had the same eyes.

It is as if he is having trouble to answer me. "Yeah sure."

"It's so busy in here" I looked him over more carefully, as I sat next him, now that I was closer, but this wouldn't do at all. I wanted to be closer to feel him, his body under my touch. I took in a breath to calm myself. It had been so long. He had the same white hair that came down in waves halfway down his back, soft brown eyes and pale skin… and that same school uniform as the other night. I felt a little guilty with the force that I had used on him last night. He shifts a little. "It always is." He whispered, if I were a human I would have missed it. He looks nervous.

"I'm Malik." I introduced myself and held out my hand, didn't really care but I was curious, and just had to know if his name was the same.

"Ahh… Ryou." He was hesitant in shaking my hand but did anyway. I got a smile, I just wanted to hug him and take him home with me, but all in due time. I have to be patient and observe more of him. But dammit it would hurt... as he looked me in the eyes I used a small amount of my power to hold him where I wanted him, under my control… I just wanted. No. I need to taste those lips on my, to run my hands through his hair and pull him against me… Oh Ra even if it wasn't him. I didn't care, as I watch him lean forward and blushed… this one would do for my little fantasy. I blushed a little as I lent in to met his lips, in that so needy kiss that would condemn me for eternity in hell for my sin, for a demon to kiss an angel.

"RYOU!" He looks away and my small spell was broken and lost as I look over to the two people who approached us, a girl with a short boy that looked just like... I had to suppress a growl for they interrupted me, I should kill them for that, but in a way it may have been for the best, if this was Ryou, my Ryou, then I would want him to kiss me of his own free will and not forced to.

"Hey did you get some good stuff?" the girl looked through Ryou's bags on the floor, I was shocked she looked right at me. She couldn't sense what I was? She must be in training… I sighed mentally that was a good thing.

"Yeah I did" he gave her a smile, I wonder if he knows, probably not as they must be friends, and I hope not his girlfriend either.

"So who's this?" the short one, looked at me.

"Just leaving." I stood up. "Nice to meet you Ryou, I'll see you around." I looked him over disappointed that I didn't get that kiss, but left anyway. "Bye." I heard Ryou call out after me. I would have liked to stay, but with that girl there, it was too risky. "Oh that looks like an easy meal." I smirked to myself and followed a girl.

A few words and put on the charm, and before I knew it she was throwing herself at me. I took her out of the mall to the car park, in a promise to show her my Harley and give her a ride, stupid girl she should know better than that.

I walked with my arm around her waist as I led her to a deserted part of the car park with not much around. I walked up behind her, she doesn't hear me. "So where was your bike?" As she turned around, it was then that I attacked her. She gave me the whole '_don't hurt me,_' the tears the works. I rolled my eyes it's not like I kill them after, they still live they just don't remember. Her scream died in her throat as I sink my teeth in the main vain in her neck. I close my eyes as the blood runs into my mouth. I get a few really good mouthfuls, before I licked the wound closed some of my poison seeps into her skin, just to help her not to remember and keep her out of it for a few hours or until some one finds her. I then drop her to the floor and licked my lips clean.

"You! I though I would find you here" a voice I knew all to well, I smirk with out looking.

"Ishizu, what do you want now? Don't you know that it's rude to watch people eat." I growled as I turned to face her. She had the teary-eyed thing happening and I almost laugh in her face.

"Your not human Malik, and you have no rights and you know what I want." She took a step towards me, "I just wish that I could have saved you."

I rolled my eyes at her not this _again_. "It would not have mattered sister, if you remember I made that choice myself not that I had a choice."

"No you didn't, I know that now, you were taken from me. You were just a boy." She put her hand behind her back. I know what's coming. "And now I have to kill my only brother." she pulled out a crossbow and aimed it at me.

"You have been trying that, playing the same crap for years now, chasing me around the world, you can't kill me." I lunged at her. She dropped the bow on the ground, as I grabbed her arms and pinned them behind her back. "You're getting slow sister." I laughed knowing it would get on her nerves.

"No Malik, I'm distracting you." I stopped my laughing and growled looking around, fuck I knew that was to easy, the bitch let me get her.

"You could never bring yourself to kill me." That's when I saw it, there in the shadows just off to my left in front of us. "A witch Ishizu? That's low even for you." She's laughing now, I don't know why.

"Don't you remember, that I'm one too, or has your memory gone after all those years, little brother?" She was laughing at me now, _great_. I had forgotten but I wasn't going to tell her that, I had to get out of here.

"See you later." with that, I threw her into the witch or warlock whatever and flew up. I looked down to see what they were doing just in time. Ishizu aimed the bow at me. My eyes widening and then the pain shot through my shoulder. I almost fell back down to the ground. I managed to get myself under control before hitting the ground. "Better luck next time Ishizu, when you get more practice with that thing." I laughed hysterically and almost insanely. Yeah I had lessons from the best. I dodged a few more just to mock her, and flew off back home.

**XXX… Normal P.O.V…XXX**

Malik flew over the fences of stone and over the gardens, and landed on the balcony and fell to his knees, his eyes going blurry and his limbs were heavy. "She must have used poison." He said, as he crawled over to the window, and pushed it open then fell to the carpeted floor. "Malik!" came a gasp from in the room, and a figure picked him up.

"What happened love?" the voice was trembling as he looked Malik over seeing the blood on his shirt and running down his arm.

"It…. was a witch." Malik looked up into dark brown eyes with white bangs that fell over his eyes almost, and pale skin, it was all he could get out before he fell unconscious, the other stormed out of the room with Malik in his arms.

"Just hold on love we're almost there." He kicked open the door with such force, that they nearly broke off their hinges.

"What the hell Bakura?" Said a teen with ice blue eyes and light brown hair that glared at him from the corner of the room.

"It's Malik, a witch got him." Bakura laid him on a table in the middle of the room.

"Fine, its not like I was busy." He said in annoyance as he walked over to the table calmly.

"Just fix him now, Seto." Bakura shot him an exasperated look.

Seto just rolled his eyes, he was used to the looks the other always gave him. "Just leave me to my work then." Bakura growled at him warningly. He lent down and kissed Malik on the forehead and left the room, in search for his other love.

He found himself in the library of their home, knowing that he would be there, scanning the area, he spotted the other in a big chair near the windows, he had wild platinum blonde hair that stuck up everywhere and tanned caramel skin and dark lavender eyes, with black lines running from the corner of his eyes out then down his cheeks a little. "Marik?" Bakura said getting the attention of other. "Malik's back." He then sat on Marik's lap and lent his head on Marik's shoulder. "He was hurt by a witch. Seto's fixing him right now."

"I just wish, he wouldn't go out alone to feed." He ran his ringed fingers through Bakura's hair. "Come on we'll see how he's doing" he put his book down. Bakura got up and then helped Marik up.

"I think we should find out what he's up to." Marik took Bakura's hand in his. "I don't want to loose another one." They walked down the hall and to the healer's room.

**

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**

**TBC**

Alright I hoped this one was a lot better, the next one should be very different, or a new chap altogether, I'm not sure, the story line will be the same but just improved, (smiles and waves) **R&R**


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the long wait, as I have said before I'm putting in ideas that I had left out when he wrote this the first time round, I know that the chapters so far have been concentrating on Malik and Ryou, but it's just how I have put it, so enjoy.

**Warning:** (growls) still trying for that **M** rating and **Yaoi**

**Disclaimer:** Just don't own **Yugioh**. (Sighs then starts to daydream) BUT! If I did, (laughs evilly)

**CHAP 3**

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Malik sighed as he rolled over, hearing the music from the radio like every morning; he hated that god-awful beeping sound that the clocks came with, it was like nails on a chalkboard. As he opened his eyes and looked around, he found himself in another room, his mind foggy by sleep and the reason why he wasn't in his bed with his lovers?

'_The heart is a bloom. Shoots up through the stony ground.' _

Malik sighed as it all came to him and rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling, then turned his head to the left and looked at the dark navy blue school uniform hanging on the closet handle. A smirk spread across his lips, and started to sing to the song out loud along with the radio.

"There's no room. No space to rent in this town." And with that, he threw the blankets back and got up with newfound energy, as he picked up the uniform and last nights fight was out of his head, and his thoughts on the boy that looked like his Ryou, "You're out of luck. And the reason that you had to care."

He changed quickly not wanting to be late for his first day. He came out of the bedroom and ran right into Marik. Malik grabbed him and spun them in a waltz fashion in the hallway and sang out at the same time. "The traffic is stuck. And you're not moving anywhere." Marik smirked and went with it, Malik could sing so well, as he let go of him and trudged down stairs still singing out loud and to himself and anyone else that was in the house.

"Someone's in a good mood!" Marik said, blinking a few times.

"It seems that he is up to something." Came Bakura's voice.

"Do you think that he is chasing that boy that looks like our Ryou?" Marik asked as he turned to face the other. Bakura was wearing just blue pants and nothing else as he lent on the door.

"Who knows? Malik changes his mind all the time, and the tiniest thing distracts him, then he'll end up forgetting about this boy and move onto something else to drive us mad with." Bakura chuckled.

"Hey! That's my Malik you're talking about." Marik poked him in the stomach, making Bakura flinch with a grunt, on his way past him.

"But I'm still going to check this boy, wanna be." Bakura said.

"If you want to waste your time." Marik raised an eyebrow. "I don't want to be apart of this." He said flatly. "I have Malik and you, that's all I need. I don't want some half of whatever was left over from what Ra wanted to keep, then decided to send it back again."

"You don't want him back if it was possible that it's him body and soul?" Bakura asked looking at Marik's back as he stopped.

"I miss him just as much… I want all of him not just half."

"But what if we get him to…" Marik cut him off.

"Check him out if you want, he was yours after all. But just don't ask me to like it."

Marik looked over his shoulder at Bakura briefly and then walked down stairs. Bakura frowned as he looked at the wall in front of him.

He knew that he shouldn't be apart of this; it would only end in heartbreak. It had taken them this long to pull together and not fall apart at the thought or even looking at the portrait in their room of Ryou. Marik and himself put it up when they moved here a few months back from Egypt, it had sat in storage, in the attics or basements of their passed homes, and they dragged it all over the world but never hung it up, until they moved here.

"But I could see for myself if it's him." He pushed off the wall. "I'm the only one that can tell if it is." He sighed and took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. He didn't want Malik falling head over heels for this… this kid, then Malik would be heartbroken if couldn't keep him. "This is madness." He mumbled to himself, then made his way down stairs to join the rest of the household.

Malik shoved the last bit of toast into his mouth all to eager to leave. He got up with his plate and dropped it into the sink, as the doors opened and Seto walked in, and sat down looking like the dead. Malik walked up to him and asked. "Did you get the transcripts that I needed?"

Seto gave him a look as if he wasn't real or that he was speaking alien to him, "What?" He asked with a confused and lost look.

"The transcripts I need them today. I asked you last night." Malik put his hands on his hips.

"Oh I remember you walking into my room demanding me to get you these papers, then storming out again." He glared at Malik.

"That's them, did you do it?" He asked missing the older teens right eye twitch in annoyance.

"Why in the hell would you of all people want to go to a place like that? You're not going to make it an hour without eating half the people." Seto shook his head.

"I have self control unlike some, and it's up to me, I can do what I want." He huffed.

"Whatever, they're in the study." Seto waved a hand not really caring. Malik made it to the door, when Seto said. "Just remember that you're sixteen years old and you transferred from Egypt… because your family had work here." He sighed and looked up. "It's all in there. Read it! It will help you to know just in case someone asks you."

"Why so young?" Malik asked, Seto gave him a look that said 'you-have-to-be-kidding-me-you-have to ask?' And Malik shot him a look that said. 'I'm-five-thousands-years-old-and-I-have-to-act-like-a-child?'

Marik growled sick of the looks they were sending each other and said. "Malik you won't get in if you say your correct age… or they would put you in one of those mental hospitals."

"Where you both should be." Seto smirked. "And Bakura in anger management."

"Watch it healer." Bakura growled as he walked into the room.

Malik sighed and walked out of the room and walked to the study and found an orange envelop on the desk, he pulled out the papers and looked them over, and he had to thank Seto for his handy work. He turned to leave but Marik and Bakura were blocking the doorway. "Malik are you sure you want to do this?" Marik asked, the last thing that he wanted was for his love to be heartbroken all over again.

"We went over this last night, I'm not going over it again." He said as he put the papers back in the envelope.

"Fine Malik." Bakura walked up to him, and caressed his cheek, making Malik look up at him. "Just don't get to attached." He smirked as Malik hugged him. "I'll see him myself." Malik looked up.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah, I can't have you falling for a wanna be." Bakura smirked as Malik kissed him on the lips. "I'll get more info from you later." He said as he hugged Malik tighter.

"But I can still get to know him?" He asked.

"Yes, but you better go before your late." Marik said.

"Okay." He rushed up to Marik, kissed his cheek and ran out of the room grabbing his helmet, keys and jacket and ran out of the house.

Bakura glanced at Marik. "You're agreeing with me now?"

"I don't know, I don't want any of you to get hurt over this." Marik said.

"I have a good feeling about this." He walked up and wrapped his arms around Marik and nuzzled into his neck as Marik wrapped his arms around his waist.

* * *

'_You're on the road. But you've got no destination. You're in the mud. In the maze of her imagination.'_

Ryou lay there looking at the ceiling for a little bit. He couldn't get Malik out of his head no matter what he did, his skin, hair and those eyes. He groaned and rolled onto his side looking at the clock that read in bright red neon twenty passed six. He grinned and felt so happy, why? He had been feeling a little odd since he met Malik yesterday, he laughed to himself due to his good mood that he was in, or from the high that he was on and it would seem that he wouldn't be able to come down from as he sang out loud with the radio. "It's a beautiful day. Don't let it get away. It's a beautiful day."

He chuckled and threw the blankets back and couldn't help but feel that today was going to be an excellent day, why? He didn't know he could just feel it. He looked around the room that Yugi had helped to make more homely for him. He got dressed in his school uniform and made his way down stairs to the kitchen.

He found Yugi cooking at the stove, he had on a white apron and his uniform. Ryou took a place at the table. "Hey Yugi" he gave him a smile, as Yugi put a plate of food in front of Ryou.

"Hey, did you sleep well?" Yugi sat down with his own plate of food.

"Yeah, best in a long time." Ryou stretched his muscles and picked up his fork, and began to eat. "So what are we up to this weekend?'"

"I'm not sure really, we could go to movies and after we could have a sleep over party?" Yugi looked up.

"That sounds good." Ryou nodded his head. "Are we going to invite anyone?"

"Yeah I though about, Joey, Anzu, Honda and Duke." Yugi shrugged as he put the fork into his mouth.

"Okay. Just don't forget to let them know today." Ryou pointed out.

"I will at lunch." Yugi smirked. "Then we'll see what everyone wants to see."

"Good idea, there are a few really goods ones playing." Ryou smiled as he picked up his empty plate and dropped it into the sink, Yugi did the same and the two made their way to leave, going through the shop and saying good-bye to Yugi's grandpa.

**

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**

Malik sighed, impatiently tapping his foot on the floor and the pen on the clipboard, he glanced at his watch; it was quarter to seven am. And he had to fill in the papers about himself, his address, date of birth which he almost put in his real one, parents names and phone numbers everything, he had put down Marik as he, was well, his guardian in a way. But the pen kept tapping in time with his foot as he thought and filled out the papers, it was hard to make this type of thing up and try to remember what was on the transcripts.

The secretary looked over at him, and cleared her throat for him to stop. Malik glanced up and blinked a few times at what she wanted. But shrugged and went back to what he was doing. "Stop that… please." She hissed annoyed.

Malik was going to say something when the door to the principles office opened "Malik?" He called; the said teen jumped up and walked up to him and into the office.

"Take a seat." He said. "My name is Mr. Quade." He said and closed the door. "And you are Mr. Ishtar." Malik nodded his head mutely as he watched the man sit behind his red oak desk. The room was filled with the same wood, the bookshelves and the small coffee table next to the leather couch on the other side of the room. Malik turned back around as he watched him flip through the papers in front of him. "So tell me Mr. Ishtar, why did you bring these with you, normally the school sends them." He glanced up then back down again flipping through the papers.

"We had to move so suddenly due to work and my guardian didn't want me out of school for that long, so he asked to take them along with us. So I could start as soon as possible." Malik said. But the look he had on his face as he turned the pages went white almost then looked at Malik.

"It says that you, blow up the science labs." Malik frowned and was about to explain well come up with something to get himself out of trouble, and the promise to kill Seto afterwards, when he spoke again. "All six of them!"

"It wasn't really my fault as…" He didn't get to finish.

"And the countless detentions." He closed the folder and gave an exasperated sigh and looked at Malik less than pleased. "Mr. Ishtar… some schools like to drop the trouble student onto other schools, as a way to get rid of their… troubles." He gave him a look then said. "Is that what you are a troubled student?" Malik suppressed a growl, Seto was going to die painfully, there will be blood and lots of screaming!

"No." He said.

"Well, I can't help but tell you, you mess up or even look like your going to cause trouble your out of here. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes." Malik hissed.

"And due to your poor grading." He glanced down flipping through the papers again. "I suggest that you take on a tutor, Mr Ishtar." Malik just nodded his head again.

"Good… get your class schedule from the front desk and hope that we don't meet on bad terms." He said, Malik nodded and got up and walked to the door. "And Mr. Ishtar?" Malik stopped and looked at him. "Welcome to Domino High."

"Thanks." Malik said flatly then walked out and grabbed his schedule on his way out of the office, after the lady gave him directions to his new class. Malik growled as he walked down the empty halls. Yes Seto was going to die very painfully.

**

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**

Fifteen minutes earlier Ryou glanced at his watch that read, half passed seven am. He walked up to his locker with Yugi and Joey. "Oh great I have a math's class first up, until lunch." He groaned and banged his head on the locker.

"It can't be that bad can it?" Ryou asked as he put his bag into the locker and pulled out his books.

"Yeah when you have a teacher from hell." Joey waved his arms in the air. Ryou smiled as Yugi laughed. "I can see it now, I'll casually walk in da room and sit down. She'll say 'Mr Wheeler your on time today.' And I'll say sure am miss.' Then by the time were done she'll have given me a detention because I did something wrong."

"Well don't do anything wrong and you want get a detention." Yugi said.

"But I can't help but fall asleep in her class." Joey whined as Ryou chuckled.

"Oh shit… I mean shoot… I have to go, I'll see you at lunch, guys?" Yugi said.

"Wait I'm going your way." Joey ran after him, "See ya Ryou." He called out over his shoulder.

A little later Ryou sat in his class at his desk looking through the books for the lesson and pulling out his homework. When the teacher came with her arms full of stuff, books, folders and papers, why didn't they carry a box or something, to help them out? Ryou shook his head and went back to his books. The sound of everything hitting the teacher's desk reached his ears, and then she started to talk about something. But stopped as a knock on the door came, she talked over and opened the door for a few minutes then came back in.

She caught Ryou's attention when she said. "Now class we have a new student today, would you like to introduce yourself?" She said as she leaned on her desk, and a teen walked in and nodded his head. Ryou stopped breathing it was Malik, from the mall.

Malik gave her a look and scanned the room for someone, once seeing what he was looking for he spoke, but when he did it was directed at… Ryou. "I'm Malik Ishtar, I'm came from Egypt." He then looked at the woman. He wasn't going to go into too much detail about himself.

"Wow." She said. "A very interesting country indeed… welcome to Japan and my class Mr. Ishtar." She said then looked around the room. "Now since your new here, you'll need to catch up on what we have been doing this year, so who ever you sit with. Will. Fill you in." she glanced at the doubtful looks that some of the students were giving her. "You can sit next to… Ryou Hikari." She pointed to the seat next to him. Malik smirked and nodded his head in understanding and moved to the seat pointed out to him.

"Hey we meet again." Malik gave him a smile that would melt the coldest of hearts, which Ryou's did.

"H-hi." Was all Ryou could say and bowed his head to hid the blush. Malik chuckled to himself.

"Now we are going to do an assignment for this month, and you have until the end of this mouth to have it in." She smirked, "Yes that means you have twenty eight days to get it done and handed in on that time. The person you are sitting next too, will be your partner on it." She went to the board. The room broke out in protest on the matter but it fell on deaf ears. "You can choose a topic on." She turned around brushing her hands off then said. "On plays." Everyone looked confused. "Theatre plays. Choose your topic then tell me at the end of class, now lets get started."

The class had gone by. But in that time, Ryou had taken side-glances at the teen sitting next to him and only spoke a few times to him. But as the bell rang everyone got up to leave, but they all stopped to tell the teacher what they were going to do for a topic. Malik turned to Ryou with a grin that couldn't be moved and said. "I was thinking about that topic, I'd like to do phantom of the opera."

Ryou frowned as he picked up his books. "Why that one?" He asked as he glanced at Malik.

"Because it was the first one that I saw with…" He was about to say 'you' but caught himself before he did. "It's the one that I know the most about." He finished and grateful for his cover up but then thought,_ 'thanks to Bakura.'_

"Okay, I don't know that one." Ryou frowned. "Or any of them for that matter." Ryou said.

"You're kidding me right?" Malik was on his feet and lent forward Ryou couldn't back up unless he jumped out the window. "Have you been under a rock?"

"No." Ryou gasped and blushed at how close they were.

"I guess I'll have to help you on it." Malik's smile turned to a grin, and he licked his lips dry and moved closer.

"I'll do my fair share of the work too… I-I'm not one to let someone else do all the work." Ryou was pressed against the window; he glanced over to see if anyone was watching or took notice, he snapped his eyes back to Malik's.

"I never mind doing all the work if the benefits are worth it." He lent in his lips just ghosted Ryou's, Malik moved just to the right and kissed him right next to his lips, Ryou gasped as his heart sped up.

Ryou blinked and noticed that Malik was walking out the door; he pulled himself together and went to speak to the teacher. Ryou left after and hadn't seen where Malik went. Ryou couldn't help it, but think that he had seen Malik before, not at the mall, somewhere else and not around here for that matter. Malik was not bad looking at all, and at that thought Ryou blushed yet again for the tenth time that morning and touched the corner of his mouth. He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't see where he was going. He ran right into someone, he was on his way to meet up with Yugi.

He waited for the impact of the hard ground, but it never came as his arm was grabbed, before he could hit the ground or stumble back. "You should be more careful." He smirked at Ryou. And once Ryou saw who it was only made him blush more.

"I'm sorry I didn't see you. " Ryou said a little embarrassed, Malik let go of his arm and turned to leave. Ryou not wanting him to leave grabbed his arm. "Would you like to have lunch with me… I mean us, your new and all…I don't know…if you know your way around yet." Ryou was even redder than before; this was more embarrassing than he thought.

Malik smirked mischievously. "I would lov… like that." He had to catch himself again, before he said something stupid, and scared him off. He followed Ryou to the cafeteria and grabbed themselves lunch before they headed outside to eat.

"So why did you move here?" Ryou asked looking up from his food. Malik was right across from him.

"Family reasons I guess." Malik said then shrugged. "Marik and Bakura thought it was a good time to move and we thought this place was a good place to move to." Malik frowned a little, they moved due to Ishizu and the fact that the town's people were getting a little suspicious of them.

"Marik and Bakura?" Ryou asked, the names sound familiar to him, Malik blinked a few times and then cursed himself for his slip up.

"I was wandering would you like to come over to my place this afternoon, and get started on the assignment?" Malik asked ignoring what Ryou asked about Bakura and Marik. Ryou couldn't place the look in Malik's eyes, but shrugged it off.

"Yeah, I guess it would be okay." Ryou said, as he pulled the grass out of the ground, and let it drop out of his hands.

"I'll pick you up, just give me your address." Malik said. "What time should I be there?"

"I don't know when I'll be done, so when I'm finished I'll come right over, I shouldn't be that late. " He gave Malik an apologetic look, he didn't like to be late, and not knowing when he was going to be somewhere at a time he gave. To narrow it down, Ryou was a freak of habit, never liking anything out of place and everything had to run smoothly.

"If your sure." Malik wrote down on a piece of paper his address, and handed it to Ryou.

"It'll be better for me, I need to get my homework out of the way." Ryou said. But before Malik could say anything else he sensed something that made him nervous. He looked around. It was a witch not a strong one, but a witch never the less.

"Hey Ryou." Yugi sat down followed by Anzu and Joey.

"Hey guys, oh this is Malik, he transferred here today." Ryou nodded his head over to Malik. Who just nodded his head in return?

"Nice to meet you, I'm Yugi and that's Joey and Anzu." Yugi beamed as he pointed to each of them and they waved and said hi in return. Malik just nodded, his eyes on Anzu, Ryou broke his gaze.

"So tonight's okay?" Ryou asked, Malik glanced at him he had to hold in the excitement of having more time with Ryou on a private basis.

"It's fine the place is really easy to find." Malik said. "I'll give you my number, call me, if you have any trouble and I'll come and pick you up, just give me your address." Malik looked at the girl, known as Anzu.

"Okay." He said, Malik wrote down on a piece of paper his cell number and address. "I carry it with me at all times, you can call me anytime you like." He passed the paper to Ryou, and he passed Malik the address to Yugi's place, with his permission. The day had gone by, Malik was happy to get away from the _girl_, but he was happy he had Ryou in every class, which was a bonus for him. Ryou would soon be at his house. Marik and Bakura were a little off they didn't believe him. They had, had an argument over the matter, thus why he was sleeping in the other room.

**XXX…Flashback…XXX**

Malik woke up in his bed. Everything hurt his arm, shoulders, neck and even his head. He sat up slowly with a groan and looked around. It was late he could tell that much, he looked at the digital clock next to his bed that shone out at him in blue neon 3:56am. His hand went to his shoulder and tried to rub the pain away. Seto was a good healer at times it just depended on what he had to heal. He jumped at the voice it didn't scare him, just unexpected.

"I'm glad to see you're awake." The voice was deep and smooth. Malik looked right at the source of the sound, and eyes glowing in the dark. He stood up and walked over to the bed. "So would you like to share with us what you have been doing?" Marik sat on the bed next to Malik.

"You'll think I'm crazy." Malik pouted knowing all to well they would.

"Love you are already there, what you say will make no difference to us." Marik chuckled from next to the bed.

"Well, I found Ryou the other day, well his reincarnated form that is, or just someone that looks like him." Malik looked right into Marik's eyes.

Marik frowned. "That's not possible." Taking on a stern look, to be honest Marik hadn't thought about Ryou at all, not even when he looked at the portrait on the wall, he just blocked it out and didn't see Ryou there anymore.

"No it is him, he just doesn't remember anything." Malik lent forward and took Marik's hand in his, as if desperate for Marik to believe him. "Please Marik I know it's him."

"Malik it's not him, you've just seen someone that looks like him." Bakura sat on the bed on the other side of Malik.

"I know it was him, the minute I saw him, well smelt him anyway." He looked at Bakura with tears in his eyes.

"Malik, we all miss him very much, and his death could not be helped." Bakura sighed and pulled him into a light embrace. "I think your seeing what you want." Malik pulled away from him and stood up.

"I know it couldn't be helped, I was there remember, and I'm not seeing things." He had an exasperated look on his face.

"Malik if this is true, he can not live here with us." A voice at the door rang though the room. "He is human is he not?"

"Yeah." Malik hung his head, his hair hiding his eyes.

"A human can't live with demons Malik, he wouldn't understand and we have to think about our safety."

"Get out, we don't need your input Yami." Bakura growled from the bed. Yami looked like them in age, he had tri-colour hair black with red tips and gold strips running through it and gold bands framed his face nicely.

"I was only trying to help."

"Then help someone else." He narrowed his eyes. Yami turned on his heels and was going through the door when he stopped.

"Oh a meeting in the library in half an hour." He didn't look at them and just simply left. Bakura mumbled under his breath, about how much of a pompous ass he was then looked at Malik.

"Malik, I want you to stop this, it goes on every few hundred years, and it always turns out a disaster." Marik approached him, and put his hands on his shoulders. Malik shrugged them off and stepped back.

"You don't believe me, do you? He smells the same and looks the same." The tears were falling down his cheeks, they didn't believe him and it hurt.

Marik and Bakura glanced at each other then back to Malik, Bakura spoke low and sternly. "Malik what your saying will not go down well if you continue, you don't want to end up back… there again do you?"

"T-that has nothing to do with it." Malik hissed and backed up closing his eyes for a minute, to clear away the thoughts that bombarded his mind, chains, locks, darkness, stonewalls, soundless screams of pain for months.

"It does, your not thinking clearly right now." Bakura looked away, knowing all to well.

Malik snapped tears burned the backs of his eyes as he came back to the world. "Why don't you see for yourself then, and then tell me it's not him, Seto can bring his memory's back." Malik yelled at them they were shocked by his out burst.

"That's enough Malik! Last time we did that, his body shut down and he just died." Marik growled at him all his patience gone. They did it a four hundred years after Ryou had died in the war. They found a look alike walking around a town in America and grabbed him off the streets and tempted to re-jog his memories, that was the worse night, the boy screamed at them and begged to be let go, he was so frightened, that when Seto started on the boy, he had a heart-attack on the table from fear. Who knew that thirteen year olds could have heart attacks? But the second time was about two hundred years ago, which was just as bad, the boy was seventeen and screamed in pain for hours and just before daybreak he had died as well.

"He won't this time, I know it, if you just." Marik cut him off.

"I won't do it this time. I don't care Malik if it is or isn't him, I want you to stay away from him, and stop this foolishness." Marik's voice was a warning one for him not to continue. Malik took no notice.

"Don't order me Marik it boils down to you not believing me, and that I'm so young, and I don t know any better, or is it that my powers aren't up to scratch yet?" Malik screamed at them.

"I'm not sending some one that looks like my Ryou to his death, all because, YOU think its him." Marik yelled back.

"It wasn't my FAULT! I MISS HIM TOO NOT JUST YOU! I'M NOT INSANE MARIK!" Malik screamed at him, he knew he was throwing a tantrum, but he didn't care. Marik was taken back by his words, and closed the distance between them. Malik knew he was right and wanted them to believe that Ryou had come back.

"I have never thought of you like that." Marik caressed his cheek and with the same hand cupped his cheek. "It's just we die a little every time. We have seen him too through the years and it hurts us too, Malik. To see him walk by without even batting an eye at _me_, but what you're suggesting is madness." Bakura had gotten off the bed, and was next to Marik.

"Can you honestly, tell me you can do it again Malik? And if it works just this one time and we have him, can you handle having him fear us for what we did to him and what we are?"

"If it's for him, yes. If it means we'll have him back with us. Yes." Malik turned around breaking what little contact the two had on him and walked to the door Marik and Bakura watched him. "I'm sleeping in the other room tonight, and tell Yami I won't be at the meeting." With that he left the room with a slam of the door.

**XXX… End of flashback…XXX**

Malik glanced up at the sky as he walked up to the house the garage closing behind him, and hoped that he was right, just for this once, he hoped that it was his Ryou's reincarnated form and soul back from the underworld. He unlocked the door and stepped inside and closed the door behind him, not even Anubis could keep an angel like Ryou in his dark world, he lent in the door.

He took in a deep breath. "I'm home!" Malik called out as he made his way to his bedroom upstairs.

**

* * *

**

**TBC**

Okay I gave a little more detail in their past it won't be in My Dark World as it was between that and this one any questions just ask **R&R**


	4. Chapter 4

(sighs) I have found this story again, it's been a while since an up date on this one, I'm in a rush to get this up so, anyway enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** Just don't own **Yugioh**. (Sighs then starts to daydream) BUT! if I did, (laughs evilly)

**Warning: **This is the chap has earned that **M** and **Yaoi**, a Lemon in this chap so skip if you're not old enough. Flames will be ignored or used to toast my marshmallows.

**CHAP 4**

* * *

"I'm home!" Malik called out, as he made his way to his bedroom upstairs. He walked in and dropped his bag and pulled off his clothes and changed into more comfortable ones. He looked around the large room, he glanced at he portrait then moved to stand in front of it and looked at Ryou well his Ryou anyway, white hair soft brown eyes, with a smile, a white shirt on and a black choker with Bakura's personal tag hanging from it. "I'll have you back with us in no time." Malik smirked, Ryou and Malik were always close, as they were with Bakura and Marik, but Ryou had offered something that Bakura and Marik just couldn't, and Ryou had felt the some, but then Marik and Bakura gave them something that they couldn't with each other. He sighed everything was turning out for the better he had made contact with him. He gave one last glance then left and walked down stairs. Marik and Bakura should be home now. 

Malik looked in the kitchen, and gave up, not that he was lazy, but thought that they could find him. With that he walked into the living room, and there on the couch Bakura and Marik laying there, with their legs entwined and facing each other in a very relaxed way, just talking. "So how was your day in the flesh pit hell they call…" Bakura blinked he couldn't think of the word and looked at Marik for the right answer, but Marik only chuckled at him.

"School." Malik huffed as he sat down with his back to them, Bakura and Marik shot each other a glance then looked at Malik. They both untangled themselves from each other and climbed off the couch and crawled towards him.

"What happened today?" Marik asked as he pushed Malik onto his back so his head landed on Bakura's lap, as Malik glanced up Bakura just smirked down at him.

"We got signed an assignment." Malik said.

"A what?" Bakura asked.

"An assignment it's were they give you something to work on and you have to do it by the time they give you for extra grading or something like that." Malik explained, he had gone to school but that was about two hundred years ago.

"Well that's stupid, what are they teaching you?" Marik asked as he straddled Malik's hips looking down at him.

"That's not it, it's harder to explain it can be anything. Anyway, we were given the assignments." Malik started.

"What do you mean we?" Bakura asked interrupting again.

"Ryou and I." Malik said, Bakura and Marik looked at each other with a raised eyebrow then down at Malik.

"Anyway, it is on plays, theatre plays." Malik reached up and played with a piece of Bakura's white hair.

"What one?" Bakura asked interested, Malik smirked he knew Bakura would be, and be able to do the whole thing with in a blink of an eye.

"I'm getting to that. So I suggest that we do Phantom of the Opera, and he agrees, then I asked him to come over and work on it with me, and he… is coming over tonight, and we even had lunch together then his." His tone held a bitter tone to it. "his friends turn up." Malik let his hand fall to his side.

"Is someone's jealous?" Marik said smirking and poked Malik in the stomach.

"No!" Malik growled batting Marik's hand away, in truth he was even though he had spent the day with Ryou, he just couldn't get enough of him now.

"It's not like we can just walk up to him and say. Hey we're demons and you used to be with us, oh when I say with us I mean by fucking each other." Malik glared at Bakura.

"You don't have to be so vulgar." Malik hissed.

"No this is vulgar." Bakura said as he moved his hand down Malik's pants and grabbed him, Marik groaned as Bakura's hand not only touched Malik but Marik as well. "I want a fuck." He said in a husky voice in Malik's ear, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Me too." Marik said still smirking. Malik blushed and tried to pull Bakura's hand out of his pants.

"Come on this isn't fair." Malik whined but then groaned as Marik bucked his hips into Malik's, who threw his head back into Bakura and softly moaned. Bakura pulled his hand out and started to pull his shirt up slowly running his hands over Malik's skin, as Marik undid his pants. Malik sat up and pushed Marik onto his elbows and crawled over the top of him, and kissed him soundly on the lips. Bakura crawled around with a smirk and bit on Marik's ear and gave it a light tug with his teeth, making him growl.

Malik moved down Marik's body as he kneaded his thighs with his hands, then moved them up and pulled out Marik's almost erect member and took it into his mouth, Marik dropped onto his back with a moan, as Bakura moved down to his chest, licking and biting.

Marik ran his hand down Bakura's chest and sides until he reached his pants and pushed his hand past the waistband grabbed his shaft and pumped him gently just to tease him. Bakura moved from his chest to his lips in a hungry kiss, Marik parted his lips for Bakura in a tongue battle and pulled him closer.

"WHAT THE HELL!" came a yell from the doorway, all three of them looked over to see Yami standing there. "Get a ROOM! You FREAKS!" Marik and Bakura looked over and grinned at him, as Malik blushed and moved away wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"We are in a room." Bakura smirked.

"Your either here to watch or get lost." Marik hissed bared his fangs.

"Not! In my living room, smart ass, I meant your bedroom." Yami growled. Bakura rolled his eyes, as Marik stood up pulling his pants up a bit, then pulled Malik up to his feet and lifted him over his shoulder like a sack of potato's, Malik laughed, as Marik carried him out of the room he reached out a hand for Bakura, who smirked and took following right behind them.

Entering the room Marik dropped Malik into the bed then pulled his shirt off and threw it. Bakura closed the door and walked over to the bed and climbed on. Bakura crawled up behind Marik and ran his hands down his sides to the hem of his pants and undoing the button and zip while kissing his shoulders. They three struggled to get their pants off, due to the position they were in. Bakura, who had positioned himself between Malik's legs, and kissed him passionately, then moving down his chin and neck, this action caused him to move against Marik. Malik arched into the touch.

Marik bit his lip hard as Malik begin to clutch the sheets on the bed. Marik got up and went over to the door, after locking it he went to the dresser and pulled open one of the drawers. Grinning to himself as he watched Bakura move down lower on Malik's body licking and biting.

Marik returned to the bed again, lying across the mattress with his feet at the head of the bed, Marik opened a tube of lubrication and applied a general amount to his fingers. He gave Bakura a nodded and he lifted one of Malik's legs so it wrapped around his waist, effectively spreading Malik's thighs. As Bakura kept Malik distracted, Marik gently worked on Malik's inside, causing the boy to wince and pull away from the offending finger. But all that did was cause him to thrust against Bakura, which made both boys moan.

Malik threw his head back into the pillow, it never took much when it come to this type of thing, Marik and Bakura knew how to work his body and work it well they did. Marik stopped for a moment, when Malik thrust back to show them that he was ready. Marik replaced his one finger with two, then after that three.

Bakura moved himself a little and let Malik's hips back down to the bed. Bakura lent forward to start kissing him again. Bakura felt Marik get off the bed and there was a hand on leg. Malik, sensing what was happening and knowing that Bakura needed a little distraction of his own, pulled away from Bakura's lips and slid under him licking and biting his way down, Bakura let his head fall back and purred. Malik took one of his nipples into his mouth biting it a little to make him hiss. Bakura moaned and leaned on one of his arms so he wouldn't fall on Malik. His other hand gently ran through Malik's soft hair.

Seeing that Malik was distracting his Bakura, Marik took the opportunity prepare Bakura, who moaned and shoved back as he pulled Malik into another kiss. Knowing what Bakura could take. Marik shoved three fingers inside of him at once. Bakura growled against Malik's lips but didn't pull away.

Marik moved away, Bakura broke the kiss between them. The Egyptian wrapped his legs around, Bakura's waist and pulled him to him, causing Bakura's erect member to slide into him. Both boys moaned at the sudden.

Malik moved his legs, which had hooked around Bakura's back, so he wouldn't get in Marik's way. Marik moved behind Bakura and got the boy's attention. Malik nodded to Marik as he lent against Bakura's back and turned his chin and pulled him into a long heated kiss, one that left even Malik hot, and wanting one too.

Bakura lent over Malik. He felt Marik slowly enter him. Bakura bit his lip to keep from crying out in pain and discomfort. He knew it wouldn't last long. Marik pushed forward with a groan as Bakura hissed and gritted his teeth.

Malik lent up and kissed Bakura, when Marik was fully sheathed and he lightly rested his forehead on Bakura's back. But soon Bakura was over whelmed by senses from being both taken and giving at the same time. Malik and Marik always had a way with him.

Bakura shoved back against Marik, telling him that he was ready. Marik slowly moved out of his lovers body and gently pushed back in, he took it slow for the first few minutes, knowing that it would help get Bakura used to the feeling of being taken, but also tease his lover to no end. When he knew Bakura would be okay he stopped all together, now half way out of the boy's body. Oh Bakura and Marik liked it rough and to the point were they would draw blood on each other, but they had Malik with them and didn't do that type of thing with him in the room.

Desperate for more contact, Bakura growled and shoved back, causing himself to move within Malik's body. Malik broke the kiss between them and moaned, arching as Bakura thrust into him deeply. Malik was reminded of why he liked the bottom so much. Oh, he liked it on the top and middle too it wasn't all the time that he would get middle or even top but when he did it was rear, and the two probably would have been drinking for it to happen, as Marik and Bakura would fight for dormancies most of the time and that always left him on the bottom. But on the bottom he could see both of his lovers at the same time, and he would admit that Marik and Bakura looked very appealing together.

Malik bit his lip as he watched Marik push forward; causing Bakura to shove harder into his body. Bakura and Malik groaned loudly, Bakura's moan ending in a growl as Marik nipped at his neck teasingly. A hand slipped down and wrapped itself around Malik's member.

Malik gasped but then moaned. Marik taking up the rhythm that Bakura had created, Marik thrust into him hard, in turn making Bakura plunge deeper into Malik. With the hand around his shaft, Malik was already too far gone and with one last thrust and tug Malik called out his release, Bakura followed right after coming deep in Malik with a growl, then Marik.

Marik moved from Bakura fell down next to them, Bakura on the other side of Malik as they both pulled each other closer. The three didn't fall asleep but just lay their running hands over each other and enjoying the warmth.

A while later Bakura was the one that got up and walked to the bathroom, and came back after awhile, he walked over to the closet and pulled out some clothes and putting them on. Then walked back over to the bed but his foot stood on a piece of paper. He narrowed his eyes at it, then bend down and picked it up and looked over it.

"What's this?" Bakura held it up. Malik rolled over laying on Marik's chest, making him groan at the sudden weight on him, to see what Bakura had.

"Oh that's Ryou's address. I followed him after school." Malik said resting his chin on Marik's chest. "I wrote it down, he lives in a game shop of all places."

"Really?" Bakura looked it over burning the written words into his mind. "Didn't you say that he was coming here tonight?" Bakura climbed onto the bed on the other side of Marik.

"Yeah, why?" Malik asked.

"No reason." Bakura frowned handed him the paper.

"What are you up to?" Marik asked.

"Nothing, I need to feed." Bakura shrugged getting up again, Marik gave him a look as he walked to the window his large black feather wings spread out, and moved his way through the heavy dark curtains.

* * *

Ryou sighed as he looked over all the math problems, and off to his left and right was textbooks and note pads that held more work waiting to be done. "This is ridiculous." He narrowed his eyes at them and tried to will them away. But he lent back in his chair heavily and stretched his arms, he had at least gotten through all the ones on his left and he only had the one in front of him and the ones on his right to go, then he would be free to leave for Malik's place. 

He glanced at the clock next to his bed half passed five. "I should really leave soon." He went back to his books, when he stopped again it was to a knock at the door and Yugi stepped into the room.

"Your still going?" he asked shocked.

Ryou looked over and said. "Strong as ever."

"I would have had a brain malfunction by now." He said as he sat on the bed.

"I think I have sprained something though." Ryou laughed along with Yugi.

"Have you gotten through all your homework?" He asked.

"Yeah, now I have." Ryou turned back packing away his books into his bag.

"Wow, that homework was for next week as well." Yugi said shocked and almost fell off the bed, **_he _**hadn't started yet.

"I don't like to get behind on anything."

"Behind your more in front then the teachers." Yugi shook his head. Ryou caught a glimpse of the clock that now read half passed six.

"Oh, it so late." Ryou got up off the chair.

"For what?" Yugi asked frowning.

"I was going to Malik's place tonight to do the assignment."

"You can't go over there now, it's so dark and late." Yugi got up as well.

"Well I should I did tell him that I was coming over, I don't want to leave him waiting for me." Ryou grabbed his jacket and pulled it on, he grabbed a smaller book bag and pulled the strap over his head and one shoulder, it hit his right hip lightly.

They both walked downstairs, Ryou heading for the door front door. "bye Yugi!" Ryou said as he opened the door.

"Ryou!" Yugi come up to him. "Just be careful on your way there."

"Don't worry Yugi I can take care of myself." Ryou laughed, "I took care of that, guy in the park didn't I?"

"Yeah, but still just be careful anyway" Yugi gave him a quick hug.

"Just tell your grandpa for me that I'll be back later." With that he walked out the door, and down the street.

**XXX… Bakura P.O.V… XXX**

The music rang out in my ears, as I looked around the dark dim room of a bar, for that drunk woman or man, it doesn't matter to me there all the some chase them, bite them and leave them. I sat down at the bar and glanced to my right, the place was quite full even for this time of night. I like the nightclubs and bars easy pickings and a quick meal, as I hardly go out, I have every witch, in town after my head. But I do love the hunt more, the chase through the streets the unlikely man or woman screaming for their lives. But now if I did that now everyone would come out and see what was going and then I would be seen, but what demon doesn't like a good hunt.

"What will it be?" asks a young girl behind the bar, I looked her up and down, well what the bar will let me see of her.

"Vodka orange." I reply not that I'm much of a drinker but I like the taste for it, as I did spend a few good years in Russia, with a pack of werewolves. She nodded and left but came back after a few minutes and the glass is placed in front of me and she leaves again to someone else.

I look at the drink in front of me, I should be out getting my meal and get back to the house as Ryou was coming over night, and I don't want to miss seeing him. Yeah I know that he's not my Ryou, still couldn't hurt to look.

I get up drop my money on the counter and down the drink and leave, I walk into an alleyway and spread my wings and leap into the night air. A few blocks away and I land on a rooftop and crouched down, someone is bound to walk by here, then I'll get my meal, I glance up at he stars they shine and wink back at me the moon is full, and makes it a lot easer to see what I'm doing, not that I need help, and a few clouds that look like ghosts in the night sky, I love the night.

Some foot steps scrapes on the footpath and I look down on the street, and there, a boy walking coming towards the building I'm on. He looks young to me. Who would be out at this time of night by themselves, well this part anyway? I shrug I don't care a meal is what I need and a meal I'll get.

But the longer I watch him the more the boy has my attention, he pulls his jacket more closely around himself, it's a little bit cool out but not much to worry about, I need to get closer, before I move, I see it just behind him, three guys twice the size of him. I lean over the edge a little to get a better look. They grab him, he goes to yell for help, and the guy puts his hand over the boy's mouth, and pulls him into the nearby alleyway.

I growled cowards take my meal, and three against one is not a fair fight, and I don't care if you are a good fighter or not. The boy is half their size, he roll my eyes I'll have to help out now, then drink from him.

I descend down into the alleyway soundlessly my wings instantly vanish into my back, as if never there, I hear them talking as I walk up to them smirking all the way.

"Come now boy!" they have him pinned to the wall, the boy whimpers in fear.

"W-what do you want?" his voice is shaky, oh yeah he's scared, but not as scared as those guys are going to be, when I'm finished with them.

"You'll see!" they all laugh, and I here the sound of one of them undoing their pants. My stomach just rolled over, you know that sick feeling like your falling. It didn't matter they were all going to be diner anyway. Then they hit him across the face, and he would have fallen if they didn't hold him, and he was shoved back to the wall and, his cries are muffled as a hand goes over his mouth. Then the guy grabs him and throws him and he lands at my feet, hard. I look down at his shaking form, I have the feeling to bend down and comfort him in someway, I stop myself from doing so _'why would I want too do that for?_' He'll be my meal when I'm done.

I look up and sneer at them as they step towards the boy, but they stop. Shock written all over their faces. There it is, the fear. "How does it feel, knowing your going to meet your maker?" I growl at them. They step back a bit; that's right fear me. I take a quick glance at the boy at my feet. He won't be going anywhere right now.

I turn my attention back to the three men. "Come on you bastards" I yell at them, not so confident now that you're being challenged. Oh look one of them is getting brave as he takes a step towards me. I laugh insanely at him. "You foolish mortals, you are going to die, and yet you want to fight, well its your funeral" I lunged at them.

I take the first one that challenged me, and I sank my fangs into his neck, for a minute my poison runs into his body and he's stunned. The other two are looking at me as if I have gone mad. Not that I balm them, what normal person goes around biting people. I lunged at them my action cause us to hit the wall as I sink my fangs into his neck, but out the corner of my eye I see the other about to run. '_I don't think so_,' I reached out and grabbed him and did the same to him and pulled them back to their leader and left them on the floor.

I look over to where the boy was and he was gone. "Shit!" I growl as I look around and there he is running for the entrance at the other end.

I smirked and went after him, I couldn't let him go. I move using my speed, and I'm right in front of him, he didn't see me at all and runs right into me. He screams as he falls on the ground.

He looks up at me, and I'm frozen in place, and it was like hitting a brick wall at full speed, everything inside me jumped to life and set on fire, it almost made me scream. "Ryou?" I take a step towards him, I know Malik told me that he was here but the shock of seeing him right in front of him, could he feel it too, that we are connected to each other, know wander that I wonted to comfort him before. He scuffles back still looking up at me. He gets up, his hands on the ground, and his feet slip a few times before they find traction, and he runs the other way, I snap out of my shock, I wasn't going to let him get away that easily.

I flew after him using my speed again and I pin him to the wall with my body, he cries out by the force. I didn't mean for it to be that hard, but I just had to know for myself.

"Don't hurt me please." He begs me, but I'm not listening to his pleas, I lean in close to him, every thing about him just screamed Ryou and everything that I thought I had locked away and forgotten had come to life with just at look from him, my Ryou. I pulled back and grabbed his chin forcing him to look at me, my heart pounding in my chest.

I get myself under control. "What's your name?" I ask him calmly, he's still shaking. He shakes his head, _no_ he won't tell me, but it doesn't matter to me.

I know it's him, I couldn't take it anymore. I claimed his lips pressing him to the wall, he gasped, and I took this opportunity to slide my tongue into his mouth. I groaned, he tasted like honey, like, my Ryou. Yes this was my Ryou. I hadn't tasted that in a long time and I almost forgot what it was like. He moaned into the kiss and I feel him move his lips and tongue against mine, I couldn't be happier as I move to deepen it more, moving my had up into his hair and fisting his white locks and pressed him even more to the wall and my body, and then he realized what he was doing. He stopped with a gasp and then tried to push me away, but he was just not strong enough.

I pulled back, the need for air came all to quickly. I licked my lips and stepped back releasing him from my grip. I smirked at him as he stares at me in disbelief at what just happened, I'm the same, but hid it better than him.

"Next time, don't go walking around by yourself at night, there are worse things than me out there. Get out of here before I change my mind!" I say coldly, I didn't mean for it to come out that way but it did, but it couldn't be helped now. He looks at me as if a stand deer caught in headlights. I growl at him and that was all it took, he ran off. I watched him go, I didn't want him to see me feed, he turned the corner, I smirk he was heading towards the house. I'll follow him after and make sure that he gets there without any more trouble.

I walked back down to where I had left the other three.

**XXX… Ryou's P.O.V…XXX**

Yugi can be a little over protective sometimes. Yeah he is my best friend and all. I pull out the small piece of paper and looked at the address that Malik had written down for me. "He did say that it would be easy for me to find." I was talking to myself. But that familiar feeling comes over me again. _'I know that I have seen him somewhere before, but where?'_ I sigh '_why can't I get him out of my head?_' I hear a noise behind me, grate I don't look and pick up my pace and pull my jacket tighter around me, to get to Malik's place I'm taking a short cut though bad part of town. Tonight just seems to be a little on the creepy side of things.

That's when they jumped me hands grabbed onto my jacket and me. I tried to call for help but a hand was put over my mouth stopping me. The next thing I know I was pushed up against a wall "Come now boy!" I was just to scared to even breath. I didn't know what to do.

"W-what do you want?" I ask them trying to sound brave, but it didn't work my voice come out strand. I would have laughed at myself if I weren't so scared and shaking right now.

"You'll see!" he says and they laugh at me, my eyes go wide as I hear one of them undoing their pants, '_oh no not that anything but that_.' Tears are now falling I can't seem to stop them. He hits me across the face it stung and I all most fell but they had a good hold on me and shoved me back again, I cried out but a hand stopped my cries.

Then I was thrown to the ground, shaking. I can't move why can't I get up and run? My body held me here in place, not lasting to me at all. But what I wasn't expecting was a voice and it came from above me.

"How does it feel knowing your going to meet your maker?" the voice growled he sounded savage and angry. Is he protecting me? I just can't look up right now, afraid of what I might see. But he wasn't here for me, was he? No I wasn't that lucky.

"Come on you bastard" I heard his voice again above me, is he talking to them or me?

Then laughter rang through my ears coming from the one above me. "You foolish mortals, you are going to die, and yet you want to fight, well it's your funeral" I heard the sounds of a scuffled fight and shocked gasps.

I get the nerve to look up, he has them pinned to the wall, and they're all distracted, seeing my opportunity I get to my feet. I looked around and seeing that they were still busy with each other I made a run for it. Not wanting to hang and make idle chitchat or to see the out come.

I take a quick look back, and just as I turned my head to see were I'm running. I ran right into someone. I screamed out in fear. I fell to the ground and looked up and was shocked to see, he looked a little like me, only his facial features are sharper and his hair more defined and wild than mine, he stops just looking at me, both of us locked in a gaze, I couldn't look away, he held me in place as if he put a spell on me.

'_Look away, look away and run, get up and RUN!_' my mind screamed at me. "Ryou" he takes step towards me and I can move again. He knows my name, my breath quickened he knows my name? But how? I don't care I need to get away. I scuffle back still looking up at him, I turn around and push myself up, my hands on the ground, and my feet slip a few times on the wet cement before they find traction, and I run the other way as fast as I could, glade that my body was doing what I was telling it to.

The next thing I knew I was pinned to the wall by his body. I cried out in shock, and pain that ran up my back, from the force he used on me, his body right up against mine.

"Don't hurt me please," I begged I was still frightened, who wouldn't be this guy took out three thugs on his own and they most likely had weapons, knives a gun and he took them down with breaking a sweat. I closed my eyes when he lent into me. He grabs my chin, and makes me look at him in the eyes. I shiver and if this were any other situation I would have said he was handsome. I could fell his body heat seeping through my clothes. "What's your name?" His voice was smooth and deep with a slight accent. I had the urge to tell him. But I'm not stupid, you don't tell people in a dark alleyway your name. My voice seems to be lost to me, so I shake my head no, he had already said it and I wasn't going to remind him that he was correct.

Then he kissed me, I gasped I had never been kissed before. That's all he needed, he slides his tongue into my mouth, and he tasted like coffee and spices, his hand goes into my hair and it's pulled tight but didn't hurt just firm. I heard him groan into the kiss and he presses against me more, I was lost in the moment and I moaned with him, loving how he felt against me and tasted and started to kiss back and he presses me more to the wall. I had my hands on his chest and could feel his body heat and his heart beating rapidly in his chest. '_What the hell I'm I doing_?' I screamed at myself, and tried to push him off. But I was just not strong enough.

He pulls back and I'm left breathless he lets me go, I almost fall to the ground a hand on the wall and one on my knee. I look at him, he's smirking at me, I just can't believe what I did? What _he_ did.

"Next time, don't go walking around by yourself at night, there are worse things than me out there. Get out off here before I change my mind." He says coldly to me. I stare at him a little hurt, I don't know why. He growls at me. '_Oh Shit_!' I kick myself mentally and run off not looking back once I reached the end I turned right.

I headed for Malik's house, since it is a lot closer then the game shop. I just hope he gives me a ride home after. I would hate to go through that again.

* * *

**TBC**

That's it have to go,oh any problems with this chap let me know**, R&R **my lovelies.


	5. Chapter 5

Hi (grins) look an update just for you, but once again I have made changers to everything, you get the idea by now right, enjoy.

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Warning: M** and **Yaoi**.

**CHAP 5**

* * *

**XXX… Bakura's P.O.V…XXX**

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand then wiped what was there onto my pants… glad that they are black. "Scum!" I growled and kick the man; I should have eaten their hearts for what they tried to do. I turn to leave the alleyway and follow Ryou back home.

I started to walk the streets and get about two blocks from home… when it starts to rain. I narrowed my eyes if I could kill someone for this I would, count on that.

"Got the time?" I stopped, I'm going to kill this guy for even talking to me, but damn rain I would have picked up his scent if the rain didn't mess with my senses, yes I have allergies especially when it rains, leaves my nose all blocked up.

Something was amiss. "Buy a watch!" I shot back not looking at him, my mood just took a swan dive that I would be kept out longer.

"Now now, Demon. It was a polite question." I roll my eyes. "I'm a hunter." He says.

"Well congratulations." I mumble to him, and he smiles at me as he starts to walk around me, I watch every one of his moves.

"Congratulating will come after I hand in your head." So we have a smart ass thinking that I'm easy pickings, and wants to make a quick buck on me. I chuckled, Demon hunters, are the new extreme way of making fast money and dieing even faster.

"What's it up to now?" I asked smirking, this hunter was new to this game, and I also like to know what I'm worth to the scum that set the price, and see what desperate dolt would try and take it.

"Fifty thousand." He states and my right eye starts to twitch. '_Fifty thousand, fifty thousand that's it, that's all… DAMMIT!''_ I thought, I was worth more than that, stupid witches. "The Ishtar's are seven hundred thousand, each. I would have preferred one of them tonight. Retire early, but looks like you'll have to do." I have to. _Do_? What makes them so special? I clench my hands at my side. Ishizu that bitch is still after Malik, that's why.

"Not that you'll have that chance to collect it." I snapped at him, turning on the spot.

"Oh?" I roll my eyes, is that all he can say, I would hate to hold a real conversation with him. But before I could say anything from the corner of my eye, I see the shadows move to my right. I should have known.

"Don't vamps wait until the moon is gone and there's fog everywhere before you come out to feed?" He asks me trying to get my attention away from what I was looking at, but the game was up, I now knew, I locked eyes with him.

"No, that's werewolves." Why is he stalling for time? I know he has men surrounding me, and he knows that I know.

"That's right, so what clan are you with?" I can't see them that well as my crimson eyes dart about looking at rooftops and alleyways around me. Vampires have keen eyesight at night as us demons and can hide themselves just as good.

"I didn't say." I turn just in time to see him lunge at me, I ducked rolling on the ground and standing up behind him. I look back and I see her. Ishizu is standing there watching me from the shadows, '_shit!'_ I growl she would have the area full of witches and hunters waiting for me. How was I going to get out of this alive? And more importantly, who was she using for this little get together?

"Bakura out on a night like this… and on your own." There is the sound of triumph in her voice. "What are the chances of that happening?"

"Yeah, you know I'm a loner." I say back to her, as I glance up, I can see them now, witches and hunters on the rooftops in the alleyways making it harder for me to fly or even run. No doubt they would be heavily clad in leather and supporting more hand weapons then could be possibly legal to carry out in the open.

"You have never been a loner Bakura your always with Marik and Malik." She moves from her spot, I don't need to look to know where she has moved too. "Where are they?" her voice is now on my left, and the guy is watching me.

"Oh you know, Malik's most likely being **_very_** entertained by Marik right now, and you know three's a crowd at times, and Marik can be very perverted when it comes to Malik." I almost chuckle; it was most likely the truth anyway on the entertaining part.

"DIE YOU VILE MONSTER!" I knew that would get her, but a sharp pain in my lower leg brings me to one knee, with a growl I pull out the arrow. Ra she was a bad shot, I hear the sound of chanting and crossbows being cocked and the slight rattle of them being aimed at me, I close my eyes and gather what energy that I have in me.

"Forgive me Marik and Malik if I don't make it back home to you." I say as a small prayer and hope in some way they hear me. As I spread out my black feather wings to full length, the guy jumps back, my fangs lengthen ready for the long battle.

* * *

Ryou ran all the way to Malik's house, knowing he would be safe there and get a ride home; he wasn't going to stay at all and just go right home. It started to rain as he ran through the gates, glad that they weren't locked or closed.

He ran to the door almost colliding with it as he reached instantly for the button that glowed on the dark steps and pressed it. He didn't hear any sound at all, and was shivering from the cold. He looked around the gardens hoping that he wasn't followed. The door opened and a gasp was heard. Ryou shot his head around he gasped as well. At seeing a Malik look alike, two look a-likes in one day, what were the odds of that happening? '_Had to be Malik's older brother' _Ryou thought.

"Ryou?" He had a shocked look at what was on his doorstep, his long lost human was here wet and shivering from the cold, never before had the reincarnations of Ryou ever came to them so willingly. A feeling long forgotten that he had kept locked away in his heart, for the boy he had lost all those centuries ago re-surfaced.

He recovered quickly scowling himself. Marik was not going to buy into the delusional fantasy of his lost love being whole in body and soul, no matter how bad Malik wanted it and Bakura. "Umm." Ryou said shivering trying to break the older teens stare.

"Ryou!" Came a voice from the stairs, it broke Marik out of his thoughts, he sneered and at the boy. Malik came running down the stairs, approaching with such speed that he slid right into Marik, forgetting he had socks on. "Sorry Marik." Malik mumbled. Marik narrowed his eyes watching them.

Malik grabbed Ryou by the hand and pulled him away from the door. "See I told you, it is him." Malik gave Marik a wink, who snorted and turned walking away, Malik blinked a few times. '_What's up with him?_" Malik thought, then looked at Ryou thoughtfully, then said. "Come on." He then led Ryou up the stairs to his bedroom "we'll do our homework in the library." Malik looked back at him and smiled "but we will have to get you out of those wet clothes first."

"Malik." Ryou stopped in the hallway just outside a door that Malik was pulling him towards, Malik stopped turning and looking at him. "I was…" he stopped what was he going to say, '_that I got attacked on my way here and the guy that saved me, kissed me, me of all people, just pinned me to a wall and kissed me, and now I just want to go home.'_ Ryou sighed and locked eyes with Malik's light lilac ones. "Do you mind if we do this another time, I'm not really up to this, and well if you could give me a ride home?" Ryou felt guilty as Malik's face fell, it seemed to lose that bright spark that he seemed to hold, that Ryou was slowly noticing lately whenever Malik looked at him.

"But you… it's raining out and your wet, lets get you warmed up and into dry clothes you'll feel much better." Malik wasn't going to let him leave so easily and with a poor excuse such as that.

"But it's so late." Ryou said.

"I don't mind. We have enough rooms, if you like, you can stay the night." Malik pleaded, Ryou blushed as Malik was holding his hand against his chest and slowly caressing it with his fingers.

"I shouldn't." Ryou had to look away from the sad look Malik had, it was mixed with hurt and longing and it made Ryou's heart sink. Even the guy in the alleyway, seemed needy as well… Dammit this was all so confusing and with that he gave in. "Alright we'll do a little work and then I really have to go home." Malik broke out into a beaming smile then pulled Ryou to the door.

They walked through the double doors, Ryou's eyes widened at the bedroom. The room had ceiling to floor windows that over looked the gardens, with dark blue drapes, white carpet, light and dark purples downed four poster bed with pillows and spreads, making it look so inviting and warm for those long winter morning sleep-ins, that easily would be doable with Malik and the stranger, as the bed could easily fit five people in it, he blushed and ducked his head. '_Where the hell did that thought come from,_' He funny enough noticed that the bed was near the wall to his right. Dark wood furniture placed around the room and a door to his left.

"Well you can come in." Malik said as he raised an eyebrow, wandering why he had stopped at the door. Ryou tried to hold the blush as he walked inside the room. Malik looked the bedroom over quickly, relived that they had moved the portrait before Ryou got here. Bakura had protested something furious about its removal, but a few words from Marik and it was gone stored safely away in the attic. Ryou snapped his eyes up to Malik's as the other looked at him then looked to the floor. "In here" Malik smirked as he opened the door in the room.

Ryou followed him, finding it was a bathroom, a big shower in the corner with a tub. The room was white with back fleck through everything and black top on the sink. "Take a shower or a bath, warm yourself up. I'll bring you some clothes." Malik said as he left the room, before Ryou could say anything.

The door closed and he sighed, looking around, Ryou noticing that every thing was so big in this room, and in the other one as well. He was still looking around as he took off his shirt. He stopped for a second and touched his lips, a worried look passed over his face along with the thoughts of, how could he have let the stranger kiss him so easily, but he was far stronger and there was nothing Ryou could have done to stop him. Ryou was glad that the other only took it as far as to steal a kiss, his first kiss, and what was more shocking was that he enjoyed it, he let out a suffering sigh. "Great now everyone will think that I'm a sick freak an easy one at that."

'_Oh come on, not like anyone will know.'_ That annoying voice in the back of his head popped up. _'Unless you open your big mouth and tell.'_ Why did that voice always come up at the times you didn't want it too?

"No one will know… but for him." Ryou mumbled, he could have sworn that he felt the voice give an annoyed sigh.

'_So? It's not like he'll brag about it, and if I remember... He enjoyed it as much as…_' Ryou shook his head free of the voice, not wanting to think about it anymore.

He pulled off the rest of his clothes and stepped into the shower turning it on. Malik came in after a while and dropped off the clothes, as he left the bathroom he noticed Ryou's soft silhouette through the shower screen. He licked his lips dry and remembered their time together in such a place, and the sound of Ryou's moans echoing off the walls. He shook his head and with a shudder he left the room.

When he came out, Marik was standing by the window. "Bakura's not back yet?" Malik asked as he walked over and wrapped his arms around Marik, normally this time of the afternoon Marik and Bakura would be together, weather it was watching t.v or ready to go out and feed.

"No he's not." Marik pulled Malik closer to him, and kissed the top of his head and buried his face into Malik's hair. "He never stays out this long." Malik felt the worry coming from Marik. Malik knew that Marik hated not having that connection with Bakura.

"You worry to much, it is raining after all and all humans run in doors like its acid, he's just probable having trouble finding someone. " Malik reassured him as he put his head into Marik's chest and breathed in his scent and listened to his heartbeat.

"Maybe." Marik glanced out the window as the droplets hit the glass they would have made sound, if it weren't for the running water in the bathroom. Marik ran his fingers though Malik's hair.

"Are you angry that I brought Ryou home?" Malik looked up into the darker eyes, Marik sighed.

A long pause and Malik shifted in the hold nervously, Marik gave him a smile, a rare one that you don't normally see, and kissed Malik passionately, that end up with them pulling each other closer as the kiss was deepened. That's when the bathroom door opened and Ryou walked out. He looked over spotting them instantly and blushed at what he saw and quickly looked away.

The two were lost in there own little world, when they parted panting slightly; Malik looked over at the bathroom and noticed Ryou. Marik growled at the interruption and as Malik moved himself out of his arms and walked over to him. "Do you feel better now and the clothes fit okay?" Malik asked, smirking at Ryou's now red face.

"Yes thank you." Ryou whispered, looking everywhere else but Malik.

"Good." Malik said, then noticed Marik approached them licking his lips dry. Ryou's blush would have put a tomato to shame. Marik lifted Ryou's chin so they were looking at each other in the eyes, Ryou held his breath, as Marik was so close. Marik then turned Ryou's head this way and that looking him over. "He looks good in your clothes Malik." Marik smirked seductively at Malik giving him a wink. Marik ran his forefinger along Ryou's jaw line and down his neck and stopped once he touched his collarbone and lent in. "You defiantly look good." Marik whispered so only Ryou could hear. "But I'm not convinced." He hissed, Ryou squeaked looking at him confused by what he had said.

Marik then swiftly left the room, Malik frowned after him, he knew something was up and he would get to the bottom of it. Ryou looked at Malik still confused. "He's had a bad day." Malik shrugged. He wasn't going to tell him that they were once lovers and that he had died, and now he was back from the dead… they wanted him back as well, especially Bakura, but Marik was having a hard time believing it. Hey he wouldn't have believed that himself.

"Oh." Ryou bit his lip, he himself was having a bad day in some way he felt like he had cheated on Malik, when that stranger had kissed him, but why couldn't he stop thinking about him. "Is Marik always so, so." Ryou narrowed his eyes trying to think of what to say without offending Malik.

"Just give him time he'll come around." Malik gave him a smile, even though Ryou didn't remember his life before this one. There was one way to get him back with or without his memories and Malik was planning to win his heart. He frowned slightly as he remember that it would be Bakura that needed to win Ryou's heart, and sadly Malik would soon have to step into the back ground, when Bakura was ready to make his move.

"Malik?" Ryou whispered, bringing Malik out of his thoughts and almost laughed at the blush Ryou seemed to be carrying all the time now, but he held it in. Ryou glanced at him and couldn't place why the feelings of familiarities was back again, and he still couldn't help but think that he had seen Malik some where before and Marik as well, but the question was where and when? Ryou closed his eyes then opened them.

"He was right you know, you do look good." Malik lifted his chin with his forefinger and thumb, and wrapped the other arm around Ryou's waist. "I've wanted to do this since the first time we met." And with that Malik kissed him on the lips firmly. Ryou's eyes slid closed and he moaned into the kiss as Malik's tongue entered his mouth, this would be his second kiss in an hour. This one tasted like honey and coffee. Ryou griped Malik's upper arms to steady himself. But the stranger's face flashed in his mind, and Ryou gasped and pulled away from him, his fingers instantly going to his lips and he was softly panting, Malik frowned as he stared at Ryou.

"I'm sorry I should have asked first." Malik said, Ryou shook his head no.

"It's been a long and bad day for me that's all." Malik gave a nod of his head. _'Dammit Bakura has already made his move.'_ Malik felt like growling, he wanted more time with Ryou, he could spend time with him, that was fine but he had to lay off a little bit so Bakura could move in. 'had I been too fast with him? Malik took hold of Ryou's hand. No he couldn't lose Ryou now, not after holding and kissing him, he had to make this better some how, the last thing that he wanted was for the boy to run from them.

"I'm sorry Ryou, if I have upset you and I was to forward with you… I just really like you that's all." Malik said, as Ryou looked up at him.

"I'm not sure what's been happening tonight, but can I get to know you a little better first?" Ryou asked. Malikran his fingers through his hair with a nod and smiled, it was better than nothing.

"Of course, whatever you want." Malik said, Ryou gave him a thankful smile, he then said. "Well I think we should do that assignment." Malik led him out of the room.

"Why don't you go to the library and I will get something to eat for us." Malik gave him a wink and took his hand in his, Ryou smiled as he followed Malik down the stairs. "The library is just down there, second door on the right." He gave Ryou a light push towards the said room.

* * *

**XXX… Marik's P.O.V …XXX**

My sigh in the large library was carried and mixed with the raindrops on the glass windows that I was looking out of. Bakura wasn't back yet and it was making me a little anxious. He never was away for so long. And I can't help but think that something may have happened to him on his way home. Yeah I worry, but I'm the one that takes care of them, as they do me, but if anything happened to any one of them. I don't think that I could go through it again. But I can't help but worry about Bakura the most. I look down at the ivory piano keys. After Ryou had died, Bakura ran from Malik and me, hiding. He tried to kill himself, he had stopped feeding, he locked himself away from the world.

I pressed one of the keys down the sound filled the room. I found him on the brink of death and brought him back again, he hated him for so long for it, his words where hurt the most because I knew he was right. '_My place is with Ryou, even in death. You Marik had no right to do this to me.' _But I couldn't just sit back and watch him die, I did the right thing… but after the argument he left again. I didn't see him again until fifty years later, in England.

Malik of course threw himself at Bakura crying, saying that he had been missed, Bakura sure as hell looked guilty for what he had done, and soon after moved in with us. But I to had to feel guilty I had placed a small amount of blame on Ryou for dieing on us and making Bakura act the way he did.

I look down to see my fingers move over the keys and a soft tune filled the room, but I kept playing, thinking I should go and look for Bakura, bring him back, but if I did he wouldn't be happy with me, he would think I was checking up on him.

I narrow my eyes, "Dammit!" I growled out, he should be here. I hear the door open and I glance over to see Ryou come in, he closes the door behind him. I keep playing the piano, I see him jump at the sudden note, I'm watching, wondering what could possibly make Malik think that this boy, was Ryou? But then again Ryou was always jumpy. I see him look at me, as I glance back down at my hands. He looks nervous but sits down still watching me. He should be nervous; I don't take kindly to this predicament. I change my playing into something a little more, sadder the notes are haunting and long.

Ryou closes his eyes and listens to the music; he did always love the piano no matter what was being played at the time. I glance back out the windows the rain is heavier now. '_Where are you?'_ but then I look back over to where Ryou's sitting, his resemblance is un-canny I take a deep breath in and I almost sneezed and his scent was the same as well. '_Could I have been wrong and Malik was right?_' I shook my head coincidence, that's all and nothing more.

I don't play the pretend game like Malik is doing; if this situation were the ocean then Malik would have drowned long ago and sank to the bottom. I have to protect Malik at all costs, even if its to get rid of this Ryou all together, make him stop seeing Malik and coming around, of course once he knows what we really are he'll be scared and never want anything to do with Malik or any of us again, but Malik will be the most hurt when it happens.

I stop my hands as I noticed that Ryou is looking over the piano, he runs his fingers over the black polished wood, and it holds all the reflections around the room in it's black surfaces, Ryou comes to a stop at my side.

"It's very beautiful, such craftsmanship." He said his tone in appreciation. I get up and walk over to stand in front of the windows, I bought this one back in the early eighteenth centaury, and I have lugged it around the world and lost it more times then I can count, but glad that I had found it every time. I had bought it for Ryou on his seventeenth birthday as a gift; it was one that he had always wanted.

He showed me how to play, Bakura teased us that it was a girl thing, but he always stuck around to listen and watch. I kept playing after he died and got as good as Ryou once was, just to have that little bit of him with me always, as a small reminder of what we once had.

"It is." I say watching the water run down the glass. I hear the piano as the boy pressed one of the keys down. I dashed across the room half leaning on the piano as I slammed the cover down. The boy just pulled his hands out just in time, the piano made a noise as if it had hurt. "Don't touch what isn't yours." I snarl and he falls backward in fright, I reach out a hand and grab him by the front of his top and pulled him again to sit on the stool, my other hand still on the cover.

"I-I'm sorry."

"So you should be, this is mine and no one touches it without getting their hands and fingers broken." I hissed, if he wasn't scared before well he was now.

"I know what I'm doing." He says it was in a whisper and I raise an eyebrow at him. "I can play, the piano is my favourite instrument." I almost had stopped breathing, this boy was turning out to be just like my Ryou, not only in looks but with liking the same things, I shook my head, '_I will not get involved_.' I let go of his shirt glaring at him. '_He's just some school friend that Malik brought home with him and nothing more._' My hand seemed to move on its own and moved from off the cover, I watch him slowly lift it back.

Ryou moves his hands over the keys elegantly and in smooth movements picking up the feel of the piano and it's keys. Ryou did always say that every piano was different in it's own way. But why was I letting him play it, it was mine and Ryou's not his, no one touched it not even Bakura and Malik, the others knew better.

He plays our first piece that we learnt together Fur Elise. I found myself moving around and I sat next to him, and joined in playing like I used too. He smiles at me, and my heart skips a beat. He speeds up in some places, I keep in time with him, I give him a side-glance and he has a smile on his lips. I look down and watch our hands move together. I don't really play that often anymore afraid that if I broke it, I could never get it fixed again.

Malik walked in and was shocked, probably at the fact that I was playing with Ryou, but he soon gets over it and puts a plate on the table and comes over and leans on the piano.

I see Ryou look up and give him a shy smile, the song came to an end and he looked at me, he was practically beaming at me, and I couldn't help but wonder if he got to play at all before now? "Can I play another?" He asked me, I can't help but nod my head.

"This one was the first one that I learnt to play." He starts to move his fingers over the keys. I know this one its Moonlight Sonata. I watched him play and he had a sad look on his face as if it reminded him of something sad.

I got up and walked away back towards the windows, this piece was the one that we play together right before he died; it was that same day in fact. Was Ryou trying to tell me that it was him, and he just needed to remember everything, in some sort of amnesia. I almost growled I was looking to deeply into this… as I did all the other times. The song soon ended Ryou did a quick twinkle, twinkle little star, to lighten the mood after what he played.

Malik clapped his hands. "That was…" He was cut off when the doors were thrown open and Bakura came in. Ryou and Malik stood up together, and I turned around. "Marik." He gasped out to me before he falls to the ground covered in open bleeding wounds.

I ran over to him, Malik was at my side, I hoped that he was still alive, there was so much blood and a few arrows in his arm, leg and side. I lifted his head trying not to hurt him more. "What happened to you?" I brushed the crimson hair out of his eyes, which was other wise a brilliant white.

"The witch's… attacked me and… followed… I barely got…" He passed out. I looked at Malik who had tears running down his cheeks and his hands clutched Bakura's bloody shirt shaking, as he opened and closed his mouth as if to say something.

"He'll be fine Malik." I caressed his cheek and he nods his head not looking at me at all. "Go get Seto." I say to him, he looks at me as if he didn't hear me at all, so I repeated myself. "Go get Seto." Malik nods his head and gets up dashing from the room.

"W-what's going on?" I hear Ryou asked from behind me, I looked over my left shoulder to Ryou, who was standing there staring at Bakura wide eyed, he was just shocked as we were, Bakura was not so easily taken down. Seto knelt down on the other side of him with Malik hovering over his back to see what would be done.

"He looks bad." Seto said, as he pulled out one of the arrows from his side, Bakura yelped and rolled onto his side as blood pooled onto the floor, I placed my hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze to let him know that I was here. Seto sniffed the arrowhead and looked at me with narrowed eyes.

"It's a venom." I frown.

"From an animal?" He nods his head.

"It's purpose is it liquefy his insides, and to stop the blood from clotting." Malik whimpers and makes a grab for Bakura's hand, "It's very painful. And if I don't get moving he'll be dead soon." Seto struggles to pick him up in his arms, once standing he says. "I'm surprised he made it back on his own." He walks to the doors, but I stop him.

"But you can help right?" He gives me a look as if I should know better then to ask such a stupid question.

"Please this was my first lesson in poisons when I was five. It's very effective but simple to cure." With that he was gone along with Bakura.

"What's going on?" I hear Ryou asked again. "What happened to him? I know him don't I." Ryou looks confused.

"Marik raise the shields around the house!" Our demon leader Yami calls out to me as he runs by the door to get his weapons.

"Are you in a gang war or something?" the questions are coming out of Ryou, who was trying to get a grip on what was going on around him. I swiftly grab onto Ryou wrapping my arms around his shoulders and waist, pulling him close, my eyes glowed red as my black wings unfolded from my back, I use my powers, he gasped and tried to pull away. "Let go of…" He didn't get to finish as he fell limp in my arms.

I turn to Malik who was just staring at us. "Malik?" I lifted Ryou into my arms and walked over to him. "Go see to Bakura." he nods his head and runs to the door, I know that's what he wanted to being with, but he stops at the door turning and looking at me worriedly.

"What about Ryou?" He asks me, I take a look at Ryou, then at Malik.

"I'll put him in our room until this is over." Malik nods his head and leaves.

I walk up the stairs and down the short hallway into our room, and I placed Ryou in the middle of our bed, if the witches where to get in here, there would be nothing we could do they would find him no matter where we put him, but I'd be dammed if I let one of them step foot in this house.

I moved from the bed and to the walk in closet pulling out my range of weapons mostly knives and placing them on me. I glance at the bed and the sleeping boy, I could play the game and pretend that it was really him, no that was to dangerous for all of us, I walk swiftly to the door looking back. "I'm still not convinced." With that I lock the door and go downstairs, ready for the battle.

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**TBC **

Like it, don't like it… let me know by…** Reviewing!!**…Me, and I hope that you all had a Merry Christmas.


	6. Chapter 6

OMG I have been so busy lately and have no time or the energy to do anything, not even reading let alone writing… (sighs) but good news is that I'm updating for you today, so I hope you enjoy it. I updated just for you, but once again I have made changes to everything, you get the idea by now right?

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Warning: M** and **Yaoi**.

**CHAP 6**

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Malik ran to Seto's bedroom, throwing open the doors they banged against the walls on either side. Malik dashed in and over to the door to his left. He pulled it open and he let out a sigh of relief, as he saw Bakura sitting up on the table fully healed, but still covered in blood. Malik ran over to him and threw his arms around him relieved that he was okay. Bakura hissed at the sudden movement of his body "You had me worried coming in like that." Malik said into his chest, Bakura hugged him, though it wasn't as tight as he would have liked it.

"I have to keep you all on your toes." Bakura smirked despite of himself and the pain he was in still. Malik gave a bitter laugh, looking up he said. "That's a bad way to do it." Bakura shrugged moving Malik back and getting off the table, he stumbled forward and Malik instantly grabbed onto him. "Easy you've just been healed." He said worriedly, Bakura grunted at him in return.

"Where's Marik?" Bakura asked looking around.

"Outside, Yami ordered the shields up, you said the witches followed you?" Bakura cut in. "They did the bastards, ambushed me, when I was returning home." Bakura said as Malik walked over to the window and opened it. "I saw Ryou head this way did he get here alright?" Bakura asked as he ripped off his torn up blood soaked shirt and discarded it on the floor, and followed Malik.

"Yeah he's in our room now, Marik placed him there under a sleep spell so he won't be getting in the way." Malik stepped out into the rain and gasped as the cold wind and water hit him, he instantly wrapped his arms around himself to hold what warmth he had.

"Do you know if they followed me?" Bakura lent on the stone railing and looked around but couldn't see anything through the rain.

"You said they did." Bakura nodded his head glancing at Malik saying. "Then they would be at the gate." With that Bakura jumped up over the railing, plummeting towards the ground at such speed then his wings spread out and he was lifted up into the air. He shot right up and hovered high above the house. The rain came down and it was even harder to see through, and the wind didn't help. "There they are!" Malik pointed out and they both swooped down and landed near the group.

"I want you out of this town!" Came a voice from the other side of the gate.

"I don't see what your problem is Ishizu, we don't kill people." Yami said sternly.

"Your still a bottom feeder." She hissed hatred laced her voice.

"We only feed from criminals, why are you so bent on protecting them?" Seto put his part in the argument.

"It may be criminals today, but later it becomes innocents." Shadi hollered from behind Ishizu and over the wind, which picked up and howled around them whipping cloaks about, the start of a storm.

"Look, go hunt yourself a vamp or something." Yami stated as if he was bored. Bakura who had a little trouble landing, stepped up to him and whispered to him.

"The Vamps are working with her, at lest a few anyway." With that he backed off; Yami narrowed his eyes at the group on the other side of the bared gate.

"At least tell me what you want?" Yami nodded to Bakura but didn't look away from the threat in front of them.

"I want my brother back and for you to all die." She growled.

"I told you before, I choose to live, but you would have preferred that I had died of the plague that swept through Egypt?" Malik moved over and stood next to Yami.

"Of course not, I was on my way to save you." she pointed accusing finger at Marik and Bakura. "But they stole you from me in the middle of the night. The ones that you call your lover turned you into the monster you are now… they should have left you in your home." she stepped up to the gate.

"What to die in that place you so loved to call a home… in reality it was a tomb." Marik hissed at her, taking over the argument in defending his mate.

"It was his home." She snapped at him.

"You would have buried him alive in that place, sick or not." Marik said as he took a step closer to the gate, and continued as if Malik wasn't even there or the others, it had always been like this when the two met before a small battle.

"That wasn't your choice to make Demon. Malik would have been better off dead then with you." They were both face to face she was looking up at him and he was looking down at her, eyes narrowed at one another, Marik's wings twitched and flexed in his anger behind his back, but they where still far enough away from each other not to be grabbed. "Oh you so love your brother." Marik mocked her but she was the only one to hear him.

"You took and kept him prisoner, I looked for him."

"For what about five minutes." Marik growled at her. "Malik is better off with me, he always was." The others rolled their eyes as this was nothing new, an insignificant argument that was best to stay out of until it was over.

"He doesn't know any better, you filth. While you keep him under your spells and rape him, calling it love, he stays with you. Once he is free he'll leave you, you can't keep him under your spell forever, Marik." The Demon snarled at her comment and made a swipe at her just missing her face and cut off a few hairs, which blew off in the wind. Marik clenched his fist in front of her face, her eyes widened then narrowed at him.

"I think you're disgusting, I have never forced Malik to do anything that he didn't want to do, I don't have to justify myself to you." Marik then gripped the bars in both hands and grinned as he said. "Or are you jealous, witch. That I have Malik's love and he hates you instead of me?"

"It's a spell you idiot and nothing more." She pointed angrily at him now yelling over the wind. "Your time will come Marik, I'll have Malik back you wait and see." Marik smirked stepping back away from the gate. "I'll place so many spells on him that he'll forget that you even existed."

"You just keep telling yourself that Ishizu, and if you wish really hard it might come true." Marik laughed at her.

"This is going in circles." Yami hissed and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, as Seto nodded his head in agreement, Bakura just had his eyebrow raised at the two, as Malik slapped a hand over his face and groaned.

"Fine I'll get to the point for you." She put her hands on her hips.

"Come wench, tell us what you want, I don't have all night?" Bakura had an exasperated look, he had had enough of her for one night, he knew by now that there wasn't going to be any fighting just for her to say something then leave, if anything he had more to be angry about with her then anyone else here. Bakura had come so close to killing her a few times, but she always lived somehow… and besides he wasn't up to it tonight… he was wanting to see Ryou up close for the first time in years, and he was still in pain to top it all off.

"From now on the kid gloves come off. I can not stand it any longer you are all targets and I won't leave one of you alive, you are all dead." she put her hands to her sides as she clenched them into fists. "And if I see any of you out, I will not hesitate to kill you, even in broad day light in the city, at the parks, the mall, you are all free game."

"Blah, blah, blah I've heard it all before." Bakura had his arms crossed over his chest.

"Well you heal quickly." Shadi gave a knowing smirk.

"Yeah, lets see how well you heal turban boy when I rip off your head and shove it up your ass." Bakura growled and went to lunge but was suddenly held back by Seto and Marik.

"The Motou clan will not be killed so easily, Ishizu." Yami said as if dismissing her words with a wave of his hand.

She smirked "If I recall, I did kill one of your clan." She put a finger on her chin in thought, "Wasn't it your youngest. Oh I'm so bad with names, especially when there a whore to demons… who was it again." She turned to Shadi, who smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "Oh I can't remember, but what I do remember was that he cried like a child, and begged me not to do it as I slit his throat right. In. front. Of. You." she laughed.

All three demons flew at the gate enraged and their reach just missing her by centimetres "he wouldn't have done that." Malik growled.

"You took him, two against one you bitch he was a child." Bakura said, the bars groaned under the strain he put on them

"He was only human, and you slaughtered him not caring if he was innocent or not" Marik seethed at her.

"Whores are not innocent." She waved a hand at them.

"What would you know about innocence?" Marik growled, and she stopped laughing. "Did you know that Malik willingly let me change him to save him from the loneliness, pain and death, that you so heartlessly left him in. he didn't even bat an eye when I turned him."

"It was lucky that I did kill that runt, he was dead anyway being with you, so watch your backs because I'll be there, when you least expect it" she growled then smirked, it became a game of insults and not one of them was listening to the other. "Marik as I see it, eye for an eye, my brother for your pet."

"He wasn't Marik's but mine, and as I see it you owe me that pound of flesh still." Bakura growled. "Come closer so I can claim it from your face, bitch."

"I owe you nothing demon, stay behind your shields like cowards for all I care, you'll get what's coming to you. I'll see to it personally." She stepped back the others with her vanished. "Malik?!" she called and he hissed at her. "Enjoy them while you can, because I'll have them killed by the end of the week." With that she was gone, before Malik could or anyone say anything to her.

Malik sighed as he looked at Marik then looked away, but arms wrapped around him as Yami and Seto walked by them and back to the house mumbling under their breaths about unexpected intrusions so late at night and when it was raining. "Malik pay no attention to her." Marik said.

"How can I not, she almost had Bakura and she won't stop until…" He was cut off as lips pressed against his, Malik looked up as Bakura pulled back.

"That key word, Malik. Was _almost_." He narrowed his eyes at Malik in mock anger. "And what makes you think that any common witch can make good on collecting that bounty on me?" He then chuckled.

"I know but she got you good this time." Malik hugged him, Marik too, gave him a look at said that it was luck that he was walking about tonight.

"Please Malik, like she could take me down, even with the group of vamps working with her, she still couldn't take me down I'm indestructible." He boasted, Malik and Marik rolled their eyes at him, but Bakura wavered and staggered, both Malik and Marik grabbed onto him.

"Hey superman?" Marik smirked as Bakura looked up and growled at him. "Lets go inside before we die of the cold, and you end up face first in the mud." With that they walked back to the house. They headed to the library, when Malik stopped. "Ryou! I forgot all about him." Bakura and Malik ran to the stairs and to the top floor of the house, Marik shook his head and followed at a calmer speed, a not so pleased look on his face.

The two practically fell into the room, stumbling over each other, but stopped as a sigh met their ears, Bakura and Malik untangled themselves and crawled towards the bed and looked over the edge of the bed as Ryou was still sleeping on it. His head and shoulders rested on the mass amount of pillows. Bakura got up from the floor and crawled onto the bed looking every part of Ryou over, his eyes and mind missed nothing of the pale teenager.

Malik was on his knees besides the bed watching, if anyone knew that this was Ryou the real Ryou, then Bakura would know. So Malik voiced it out loud. "Is it him, Bakura?" the said Demon glanced at him his eyes turned crimson and he gave a fanged grin, that stopped Malik's heart dead in his chest, they both looked at Ryou at the same time. Bakura ran his fingers down Ryou's cheek, jaw-line, neck, chest and sides, as he lent in so close that with a small tilt of his chin he could kiss the human. Malik bit his lip waiting for Bakura to give him an answer; he needed it said out loud.

Bakura fought the urge to scream in joy as all his scenes awakened and like before it was like hitting a brick wall at full speed, everything inside felt like it was on fire. It was him there was no doubt about it, all the other Ryou's in the passed didn't do this to him, sure he felt them but not as strong as this, it was almost pulling him towards the teen. Ryou's shirt came up a little exposing his skin, which Bakura's hand found instantly and he slowly ran his hand upwards kneading the skin as he went, going higher and higher up his side towards his chest, with that he kissed the slumbering teen.

Marik walked in and stopped at the doorway as Malik's wings flapped pulling the young demon to his feet, Malik let out whoop, and… "Bakura!" Marik took a few steps inside the room, and slammed the door closed. Malik's head whipped about to look at him his eyes widened, Bakura glanced up casually. "What do you think your doing?" Marik asked.

"Claiming what's mine." He said narrowing his eyes at Marik for interrupting him.

"What you're doing is molesting a sleeping teen." Marik walked over and stopped next to Malik. He glanced at Ryou who was under Bakura; he narrowed his eyes at the teen. He should just grab the boy by his neck and toss him out of the house right now.

"It's not if he belongs to me." Bakura said not moving off the boy, Malik made a move towards the bed but stopped as Marik growled at him warningly and bared his fangs, Malik narrowed his eyes at Marik and continued his way onto the bed, Marik grabbed Malik's arm and forcefully pushed him backwards into the chair, Malik's hands shot out onto the wall to stop it from toppling backwards. Marik turned to Bakura and pointed at him, who was looking at Malik then growled at Marik.

"He belongs to no one… now stop this foolishness." Marik reached forward and grabbed Bakura's arm stopping his hand.

"Back off, Marik!" Bakura pushed him away with his other hand. "I'll deal with this as I please." Marik pulled him from the bed; Malik sat there watching the two in a scuffle, which Bakura ended up pinned to the wall.

"Dammit use your head for once." Marik hissed as Bakura shoved him.

"What's your problem?"

"He is!" Marik pointed to the bed, something in his tone that Bakura couldn't pick up. "I'm not falling for this again, I told you after the second one that I was done with him." Marik growled, he pointed without looking. "Don't you move!" Malik stopped and sat back in the chair.

"That's right it's about you." Bakura smacked him on the chest with the back of his hand. "What about me, don't I have a say in this? After all he is mine."

"I'm trying to save you and Malik the heartbreak."

Bakura shot back. "My heart went with Ryou when he died." A whimper came from Malik, as Marik just narrowed his eyes at Bakura as he said. "But you are being an ass over this, and if I'm not mistaken since you found out you have changed."

"I'm not the one that has changed, Bakura." Marik shot back, Bakura gave a bitter laugh and pointed to Malik, then said. "Since when did you push Malik around like that?" Marik gave Malik a glance that turned to a guilty look, he had never done that before, he glanced back at Bakura.

"You're setting him up for a fall, you just don't see it." Marik hissed determined. "I won't allow it."

Malik shot up from his seat. "Stop talking as if I'm not here." He stalked up to them. "I can take care of myself." Marik and Bakura snorted at him, but Marik grunted as Malik elbowed him in the side. "Why don't we just see where this leads?" Malik being the voice of reason in the argument, he took the short few steps towards the bed and looked down at the slumbering teen. "If Ryou here lives up to what we hope, why not. Why not making him into what we want." He grinned and ran a tongue over his fangs.

Bakura glanced at Marik the anger and the fight forgotten. "It's him Marik, everything in me tells me it's him." Marik stared at him. No Bakura was just confused and this boy it was making it hard for him. Bakura was confessed, just the other day Bakura longed to have a connection with someone again, and with this boy walking into the house like he had, made everything even more confusing. Marik growled and narrowed his eyes. This was going to turn out bad when the human found out what they are, and Bakura, as strong as he is, he wouldn't be able to go through something as rejection from Ryou. Marik knew that he would not be able to bring Bakura back again. The three were walking on very thin ice. In one hand Marik had Bakura and Malik and in the other a boy who could take it all from him in a matter of days. Marik had to protect his only family even if it was from something that looked like his beloved Ryou.

Marik sighed and ran a hand through his hair and looked at Bakura then Malik and back to Bakura again. Malik said without turning to face them. "Wouldn't it be better that he loves us and comes to us willingly, then be forced too?" Malik grinned like the Cheshire cat as he ran his fingers through the white hair that was so much like Bakura's and down his jaw line. "But raping him is not the answer, either Bakura. " Malik glanced over his shoulder, Bakura sighed.

"I wasn't going too." He hissed back defending himself, then turned his head to Marik and said "But it is him, Marik." Bakura said, Marik looked down at the boy, he would not betray Ryou's love for him, by taking in another that looked like him. Marik felt it was like cheating on him in someway, as odd as their relationship was, he had never looked at any other then his mate and Bakura, sure he help them in the passed to bring Ryou back to life, but it had hurt just the same when it failed, so with time he began to hate them all. He hated them so much in fact that he had come across Ryou a day before he found Bakura half dead. The teen was in the same town. Marik had ran into him one night and he had led the teen away and… Marik closed his eyes and rubbed his temples to get rid of a headache he now had.

A groan suddenly came from the bed, and Ryou scrunched up his eyes as he then opened them and slowly sat up holding his head. "What happened?" he looked around trying to work out where he was.

"You slipped over and hit your head." Malik said, looking over his shoulder to find Marik gone from the room.

"I don't remember." Ryou let his hand fall to his lap. "Doing that." He bit his lip, his head didn't hurt, and he glanced at Malik, who smiled at him sitting down on the bed, now that he was free to do as he wished.

"But you're okay now?" He asked Ryou nodded, and glanced at the clock. He gasped and jumped from the bed. "I have to get home, it's so late." He was out the door running down the stairs before it hit Malik and Bakura what he had just said and ran after him.

When Ryou got to the front hallway heading towards the door, he slipped on the water that was on the floor, he yelped and braced himself for the fall, but it never came as arms wrapped around him. "Slow down." Ryou glanced up and gasped at the smirking face and pulled away freeing himself from the hold.

The old grandfather clock chimed twelve times, the sound rang out through the house, and not another sound was heard but for the clock as they stared at each other. Ryou was to shock to find his saver slash attacker in front of him here. "It's late I think we should turn in for the night." Bakura said giving a grin that sent shivers down Ryou's spine. Bakura taking a few steps towards Ryou, who in turn stepped backwards, he also blocked Ryou from the front door and the only escape.

"You!" Ryou gasped with a shake of his head, his hands groped for something behind his back, to help guide him as he tried to keep his distance from the other. Ryou came up short as his back collided with something solid… Marik. Malik and Marik both looked at Bakura. "So tell me, Bakura. What did you get up to exactly?" Marik asked as he raised an eyebrow more along the lines of asking him to explain, as Ryou's reaction told him that the two had met before this. Then to Marik's surprise Ryou moved closer to him if that was possible.

"Out!" Bakura said and rolled his eyes at the looks the others were giving him. "Hey, I saw a damsel in distress and saved the day." He had a satisfied look at his smart come back, Marik sighed if Bakura couldn't get what he wanted he go smart, and not in the wise kinda way.

"Hey, I'm not a girl, F.Y.I" Ryou growled narrowing his eyes at Bakura, well the best that Ryou could do, he felt safer and a little braver where he was standing.

"Really, I would have thought other wise with that hair and girly looks." Bakura's smirk turned into a fanged grin as Ryou huffed.

"I was doing just fine before you came along." Ryou said.

"Really? That's not how I saw it." Bakura pointed out.

"Then you need glasses." Ryou shot back at him angrily; Marik and Malik watched the argument fly between them both.

"You should be thanking me, girly." Bakura hissed, why did he have the feeling that he should stop this petty fighting and try to get Ryou into his arms and bed.

"Name calling is it, you pervert vigilantly, I could have handled it." Ryou took a step forward a little from Marik but remanded in his personal space. Bakura met his step with one of his own and the two stood much closer together.

"Pervert is it?! I wasn't the one that moaned."

"I was taken by surprise, and you need to get your hearing checked. I did not moan." Their argument stopped as Yami shouted at them from the living room door. "HEY!" He stepped out glaring at them. "I'm glad for you I really am… but its late I'm tired. Stop your bitch session and go to bed." They watched as Yami walked back into the living room with a slam of a door, and then Seto came out of the library.

"Your getting water all over the place." He walked to his bedroom door. "If you think I'm cleaning it up…think again." He gave them a glare that said it had better be clean by morning and went inside his room closing the door with less force then what Yami had used.

The four were stunned by the outburst of the two other occupants of the house, though it was nothing new just unexpected. "Well I think we should get dried up and go to bed." Malik was the first one to speak.

"Oh…. I think I should head home." Ryou looked at the clock in the hallway, then down at himself as he noticed his clothing was wet also. _'How did that happen?_' the argument was deflated.

"What, you can't be serious." Malik said his eyes widening as he looking at Ryou, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"It is late… and Yugi will be worried about me." Ryou turned his attention back to the three.

"I think it would be best if you stayed the night… call this. Yugi? In the morning." Bakura said, not thinking it was a good idea for any of them to walk around this late and with the witches out and about the town in their killing frenzy. He walked up to Ryou and lifted his chin with his thumb and forefinger to look him in the eyes. Here dark brown almost black, met surprised light chocolate brown. Ryou went to step back but only moved closer to Marik.

"I'm Bakura if you were wondering? And it's best that you remember my name so you have something to scream..." He didn't get to finish as Marik without thought growled at him and wrapped an arm around Ryou protectively. Bakura smirked devilishly then said. "I know yours." Ryou swallowed the lump in his throat and started to shake, Bakura was very intimidating. Bakura lent in so close their noses were touching and Ryou's heart jumped in his chest and started to pound. "I'll be watching you from now on."

"Bakura enough." Marik said sternly, not that he cared or anything, just no point in him scaring the boy, Bakura looked up and narrowed his eyes at Marik, but backed off.

"I'm going to bed." He said emotionlessly his eyes lingered on Ryou for a minute before heading to the stairs.

"Come on, don't be so stubborn… I already have two of those we don't need another one." Malik said to Ryou as Marik hesitated in letting go, but scowled himself and let go then followed Bakura up the stairs looking over his shoulder, Marik said. "Malik will show you to your room."

Malik led Ryou up the stairs to his bedroom. Not that Malik used it much, but they all had their own rooms for some reason. The lighting from outside lit up the dark hallway. Ryou bit his lip it was the perfect scene from a horror movie, with vampires, and the house kinda did have the demonic look going for it, antique furniture placed here and there low lighting in the hall and stairs. He shook his head of the thoughts and put it down to as the occupants of the house just really, really liked old furniture, rugs and heavy drapes that would fully block the sun out. The storm was raging outside the mansion and the wind howled. It was the case if Ryou screamed no one would hear him.

"Well here we are." Malik said as he opened a door and turned on the lights that gave the room a very soft lighting almost like candlelight, a four-poster bed, but without the canopy, a perfect setting for a romantic mood. But one thing that Ryou had noticed was that the room wasn't as big as the room he had the shower in and woke up in, and he was thankful for that.

"But I feel that I have missed something." Ryou was wondering that the only thing that he could remember was playing the piano with Marik.

"You did hit your head." Malik saw the worried look that Ryou had, and pulled him close. Ryou squeaked in surprise, blushing and not believing he had just done that. "But I don't have a lump on my head from it."

"You are so cute, you know that?" Malik chuckled and kissed Ryou, he soon got over the shock as Malik licked and lightly bit his bottom lip, Ryou gasped as Malik kissed him more passionately, and Ryou found himself kissing back, they soon parted panting a little out of breath. "Now if you need anything, and I mean anything I'm just across from you." Malik gave him a wink and turned to the door.

Ryou stopped him "Malik, ummm… Marik and Bakura I don't think they like me that much." Ryou blushed not believing what he had just said and quickly added. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything… forget I said anything at all." He ran a hand through his hair and bit his lip, why did he care if they liked him or not?

Malik gave him a concerned look; Bakura always teased Ryou in the past but loved him more then words could say. Marik too protected him and loved him…but they all did. "Don't worry about Bakura he'll be okay, and Marik just give him a little time they'll both come around." Ryou nodded his head as Malik let go of him and walked over to the closet and opened the doors. "What? Wait?" Ryou blurted out confused at what Malik said.

"This is my room." Malik said cutting off anything Ryou was going to say.

"But I thought the other room was yours?" Ryou shifted on his feet.

"It is I share it with Marik." Malik said looking over his shoulder to watch the exasperation on Ryou's face, but all he saw was confusion. Malik sighed as he pulled out some clothes and walked back over.

"Right." Ryou took the clothes that were offered to him. "So is Bakura your brother or…"

"He lives with us as… I'll explain everything later on." Malik brushed Ryou's hair out of his eyes. "It can't be explained in five minutes… well it can, but I want to do it properly."

"Oh… okay." Ryou said holding the clothes to his chest, as if they would protect him in someway.

"Well good night then." Malik closed the door and left. Ryou looked around the room, spotting the large bed. He yawned and stretched his arms as he walked over to the bed and stopped and toed off his shoes, and pulled off his clothes pulling on the boxers and the top, and climbed into the bed, _literally. _"Who has such big beds?" Ryou said to the empty room. He lay down and pulled one of the pillows to his chest and faced the window, and soon his eyes felt heavy and fell asleep.

Just outside on the balcony in the shadows three figures watched the boy fall into sleep, one chanted low. "I knew when Anzu told me that Malik was hanging out with someone new, I knew they had found him." Ishizu hissed.

"Do you want to take him and kill him… or do it here?" asked Shadi smirking he said. "and letting them find him in the morning."

"No. I have Anzu watching him." They moved more to the window but stayed cloaked in shadows, the chanting from the third kept them from being discovered or detected by the shield. "I think a small spell is in order." she put her hands into the pocket of her cloak and pulled out a fine powder. "A reminisce of the past to kick things along." Ishizu hissed and blew the powder into the room. "The last moments of life, you'll see and re-live your past for a night."

"Why what's the point of this?" He asked her, he would rather kill the boy, and have the demons move on out of their hair.

"They'll be so head over heels they'll take him, and in one night of passion, so happy to have the boy remember everything. But by daybreak it will have turn into rape and the boy will not be able to recall ever saying yes to them. They'll never see the boy again, and make it easer for me to maybe use him against them."

"You sure it'll work?"

"Don't question me ever." She hissed dangerously, as the other two flinched away. "My work is done here, come we have other engagements to attended too."

In the bedroom Ryou twitched and rolled away from the window.

Darkness surrounded him, it was everywhere, flashes of blurred light and sounds of yells came from all around, in and out as if someone was playing with the sound and light turning everything on and off. Everything was distorted and his head hurt. Someone was talking to him but the words where broken up and he couldn't make them out, his mind heavy, confused and fogged.

He lifted his head and looked around, his eyes focused and unfocussed then focused again, it was as if a train had come at him at full speed in a head on collision, the sight and sound, and a foot that came at him in slow motion then sped up kicked him in the face. "Get up you, on your feet, I said now!" Ryou was thrown back by the force of the kick and was on his back, then pulled up to his feet. A glint of silver in the light almost blinding, a sharp whistle rings in his ears, and he sees three people turn their heads with utmost horror on their faces, everything slowed right down.

Ryou saw the glint of silver come in front of his face from his left; he looked up to see three figures running towards him shoving people aside as they came. Suddenly there was sharp pain on the right side of his neck; he hears a scream, as the pain moves like fire across to the left side of his throat. He was shoved to the ground; the person was no longer holding him. He put his left hand to his neck and pulled it back, he looked down at it, covered in blood confused he looked up. The figures come into focus.

His eyes started to close, the pain is numbing now along with his body, he falls forward but before he hits the ground he is caught and turned over. The sounds coming and going again. he looked up, he knows the three, he couldn't see them to well but his heart told him who they were. They were crying over him now… why? He looked down one of them was crying on his chest… Malik? But he can't feel the weight; he looked up as his hand was taken… Bakura? A hand softly brushed over his cheek making him look over but the head was now bowed… Marik… He knew them, each of them, he knew them… why? Why are they so sad, was it him? Did something happen? Maybe it was the pain he was in… They're talking and he still couldn't understand them. He looked up just in time to see the world swallowed up around him by the darkness once again.

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**TBC**

(Tacklehug) Your thoughts readers are needed, **Review**. (love and cookies)


	7. Chapter 7

Okay I made changes, yes I know, I know I have said this at the beginning of every chap just reading through this and My Dark World I had too, (pulls hair) just read it and enjoy… Oh and leave a comment at the end by Reviewing me on this.

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Warning: M** and **Yaoi**.

**CHAP 7**

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Bakura sighed as he watched the blood run with the water down the drain. He closed his eyes and sighed letting the hot water take his pain. He narrowed his eyes at the black tiled wall. Malik's plan should work if he went about it the right way. But what was the right way? Surely just telling the boy what he was and what he meant to them would have him running, claiming they were insane.

"Insane!" Bakura mumbled to himself, his lips set in a frown. He lifted his wrist and just stared at the scaring, the word was nothing new to him; even Marik had called him that to his face. Bakura smirked then it was gone as he traced his finger over the white think lined scaring on his lift wrists, going from his palm up to midway of his arm. He had stopped feeding for a while staving himself, but found it wasn't quick enough, then he cut it open and let it bleed out, he didn't let it close, it worked… kinda of, if it wasn't for the pain keeping him anchored to this world and Marik walking in just after he had done it, he would have been with Ryou.

But Ryou being here and he being there, they wouldn't have been together anyway, right?… Bakura growled and pulled his hair not wanting to think on it anymore. He turned off the taps and stepped out, dried himself off and grabbed his long black pants and slipped them on.

Walking out of the bathroom he towel tried his hair until it stopped dripping, he tossed it aside onto the back of a chair heading for the door when he spotted Marik by the window.

On closer inspection Marik was glaring out the window as if the world had offended him in someway. Bakura saw that look far to often for his own liking… He walked up to Marik and wrapped his arms around his chest and lent his forehead in-between Marik's shoulder blades and closed his eyes.

Everything seemed out of control, Marik growled but didn't move… Bakura had to give Malik credit for finding Ryou and bringing him home to them, though the boy didn't live with them or really know them but they could work on that, as Malik had said make him fall for them, because Bakura wasn't going to do this and have it back fire, not this time he would have Ryou at his side once more.

Another daunting thought popped into his head of then and if he would take Ryou as his mate later on, providing that they or he didn't scare him off… was the problem of what to offer to Ryou in the means of being together, he had nothing and what he stole back in the day was lost or broken with time and moving. "What were you doing?" Marik asked breaking in on his thoughts.

"What do you mean?" Bakura smirked into his back, knowing full well what Marik was asking.

"For the witches to come after you?"

"Do we need a reason for them to come after any of us?" Bakura narrowed his eyes.

"I guess not." Marik went quiet for a minute as he ran his finger slowly up and down the length of Bakura's arm. "You know that you had me worried walking into the room like that."

"Really? I had the Mr. cool and tuff worried over me?"

"Yeah." Marik moved and pulled Bakura in front of him and embraced him tightly, this was rare for Marik to just hold him it was nice and Bakura thoroughly enjoyed it.

"They come from out of nowhere." Bakura rested his cheek on Marik's shoulder, he hated to be beaten in anyway and they had the upper hand… only because he wasn't aware of what they were up to. Marik lifted his chin and made Bakura look at him, Bakura's eyes held something that Marik hadn't seen in years not since Bakura was human, before he changed.

"About Ryou, do you really think that we're doing the right thing?" Marik sighed but listened. "I mean." Bakura continued what he was saying… losing that air of confidence about himself as it turned into worry. "What if we scare him off, what if I scare him off?" Bakura shifted biting his full bottom lip, eyes locked with Marik's. "I can't lose him again, knowing what I know about him. Also, I have nothing to offer Ryou in the means of taking him as my mate."

"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?" Marik said less than pleased, but Bakura made a sound from the back of his throat, Marik closed his eyes. "We'll work that out when the time comes." Marik lent in a little and kissed his cheek. "Just take it slowly with him if you're so worried." Marik smirked then caressed his cheek. Bakura lent his head on Marik's shoulder and nuzzled into he's neck.

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Ryou woke with a fright arms swatting away invisible enemies and legs kicking under the sheets. He sat up scooting back in a panic until his back hit the headboard of the bed. He was panting hard. Ryou looked around franticly trying to gather what had just happened. He was confused, sweat mixed with tears he rubbed his throat.

Why would he have such a dream… looking around more he noticed something that raised panic within him. This wasn't home and the furniture told him it wasn't even Egypt and where were Bakura, Marik and Malik. His fear kept him in place until lighting flashed and lit up the room and a loud bang, he yelped and jumped from the bed and ran to the door. He pulled it open just as lighting ripped through the sky and lit up the hallway: five doors all up. Where was he? Which door? He stepped to the middle of the hall and looked at each door in turn.

Shaking and tears running down his cheeks as lighting flashed again, he covered his head with his arms. He was not feeling safe and the dream didn't help at all. In his rush to get out of the hallway he took the door across from him. He rushed to it and pulled it open and hurried inside. He knew his Masters wouldn't be to far from him, it was just the matter of finding them and anywhere was better then that hallway.

Bakura stirred in his sleep not sure what had woken him up but someone was in the room. He lay there not moving his crimson eyes scanned the area not missing a thing, but he spotted Ryou leaning on the door. He rubbed his eyes to get a better look now that there wasn't any threat. Before he could ask what Ryou was doing here he was basically pushed backwards and half landing on Marik as Ryou had thrown himself at him.

Bakura wide eyed looked down at the teen sobbing his heart out in his chest, and mumbling something at the same time, the other two woke up and were looking at Bakura and Ryou shocked themselves, that the boy was in their bed _with_ them.

"R-Ryou?" Bakura said as if he was imagining it but having Ryou so close to him like this, he couldn't help but shrug and pull him closer to comfort him, but after a while Ryou stopped shaking and crying, Bakura ran his fingers through Ryou's hair and lifted his chin. "Tell me what's wrong?" Ryou sniffled and spoke but it wasn't in any language that the human race knew, it was broken between demon and Egyptian, something Ryou couldn't get the hang of when Malik was teaching and mixed the two languages together.

"What? What did he say?" Malik asked moving closer to them, he was half demon and didn't know the language that well yet and with the Egyptian in the mix it was confusing for him.

"Can you repeat that?" Bakura asked eyes locked with the teens tear filled ones.

"Master I don't know where I am." Ryou said eyes wide. "Have you changed time?" Bakura lost for words didn't know what to say he just stared at Ryou. Malik gave Marik a look asking. "What's he saying?" Marik just shook his head; he didn't believe what he was hearing himself.

Bakura came to his senses. "I only did that once." He looked at Marik, who had his mouth open slightly in disbelief.

"Master?" Ryou glanced at a confused Marik then at a frustrated Malik and back to a still shocked Bakura. "Did I do something wrong?"

"What? No you didn't do anything wrong." Bakura turned to Marik speaking in Japanese. "When did humans in this era call someone Master?"

"They don't, ever." Marik said his eyes never leaving Ryou's face.

"Then why did you leave me in that room, alone?" Ryou wiped the tears from his eyes. "I had a bad dream and everything." Ryou hiccupped; Marik and Bakura just stared at him. "Did I do something wrong?" He turned his head towards Marik still teary eyed. "Master Marik, was I bad?" Marik slumped to the bed as if he had no bones in his body but was still sitting. Ryou whimpered and looked at Bakura. "I did, didn't I?" Ryou started to cry. Malik gasped and hissed. "What did you say?" he blamed Marik and Bakura as he only got the Egyptian parts, which didn't make much sense to him.

Ryou gasped and tensed as Bakura's lips met his in a tear mixed passionate kiss, but then relaxed and wrapped his arms around Bakura. Ryou pulled back looking a little hurt that they would sleep without him and left him in another room.

"So if I did nothing wrong, then what's going on?" Ryou bit his lip. Malik sick of what was going on took over the conversation himself, he cupped Ryou's face in both hands Ryou just smiled and said. "Hi Malik." The said demons heart leapt and almost came bursting out of his chest Malik smiled back and kissed briefly on the lips, pulling back a few inches Malik's eyes half-lidded said in full accent Egyptian. "Hi." Malik moved closer even though Ryou was still wrapped up in Bakura's arms. "Ryou why don't you explain to me what's going on?" Malik said.

"I'm talking about you leaving me in that room… by myself." He whispered the last part.

"But you're a guest here I invited you over." Malik said back, Bakura and Marik listened in.

"What?" Ryou said as if he had been slapped in the face, tears threatening to fall once again and he sniffled. "Nonono, don't cry I didn't mean it like that." Malik was quick to stop it. Giving Ryou a concerned look.

"Is he sleepwalking?" Bakura asked watching Ryou very carefully.

"I think he might be." Marik said confused and not sure how he should feel about all this.

"Did he know how to speak ancient Egyptian before we met him?" Marik asked Bakura who shook his head no not knowing what else to say.

"Tell me what you do know." Bakura turned Ryou's chin Malik let go with a pout.

"I had a bad dream." Tears fell again this reminded Bakura of the lost little boy they found so many centauries ago. "And then I woke up here… alone." Bakura nodded his head.

"And what's the last thing you remember doing before going to sleep?" Bakura asked, Marik narrowed his eyes, if this was a joke he was going to throttle the boy, Malik held his breath.

"You and I had been out riding all day to get to Kul Ena, we were meeting up with Marik and Malik there. But it got late." Ryou glanced at Marik then back to Bakura. "We didn't make it, it was late and you were tired. We stopped at the Golden Sand inn for something to eat and a place to sleep…" Ryou stopped, getting nervous at the stares he was getting.

"What the hell is he on?" Marik hissed warningly.

"Don't you see now Marik that it is him?" Bakura smirked as he tightened his hold on Ryou. "We did stop at that very inn on our way to meet you."

"Horseshit!" Marik snapped Ryou started to shake.

"What is going on?" Ryou looked up at Bakura and tightened his hold on his Master. He didn't know where he was and how he got to this strange place and why Marik seemed to be so angry with him.

Marik's eyes widened then narrowed at Bakura's grin as if reading his mind Marik snapped at him. "Don't you dare!" He hissed, Bakura glanced at him.

"Only one way to find out." That was the only warning Bakura gave as his large wings spread out from his back almost knocking off the other occupations from the bed, his eyes glowed crimson and his fangs lengthened. Ryou gasped as the wings wrapped around him. The warmth, he could never get over how much heat they produced. Ryou was lifted in Bakura's arms as he got up off the bed, the teen wrapped his arms around Bakura's neck as he was carried to the door.

"What? Wait?" Malik said as he jumped off the bed he wasn't following Bakura but Ryou.

"Stop right there the two of you!" Marik snapped at them getting off the bed. "What are you planning on doing?"

Bakura gave him a mischievous look. "Do I need to say it out loud, Marik?" Ryou blushed and ducked his head as Marik scoffed at the comment.

"So your just going to go and do what you like to the boy, without wondering just this afternoon you two where arguing like cat and dog, and the boy hadn't even known you." Bakura paused looking at Ryou then Marik.

"Use your head Bakura and not the one in your paints." Marik took Ryou away from Bakura. "Something isn't right here." Marik looked Ryou over closely. "Lets just say that this **_is _**Ryou." Malik gasped happily and Bakura smirked. "Not that I believe that." Marik hissed at them and their faces fell into a disappointed pout, Ryou looked confused. "Then how can he remember something that happened centuries ago, when he's been dead for just as long and this teen, just happens to look like him walks into a live and somehow he knows about us." Ryou gasped as Marik picked him and left the room.

"I was just glad that he knew." Bakura mumbled having his fun taken from him left him in a rather sour mood.

"Only one way to find out." Marik said as he reached the bottom of the stairs. "Take him to see Seto." Not that Marik cared about the boy, he was watching out for Bakura and Malik.

Marik headed to Seto's room, and knocked he got a grumble and Marik entered the room. "Get up!" Marik snapped as he placed Ryou down on a chair, the boy squeaked still looking rather fearful.

"Don't you ever knock?" Seto said exasperated as he got up and walked over. "What is it this time?" He asked yawning and yet to notice Ryou.

"The human there's something wrong with him." Marik pointed out, and Ryou gave him a hurt look to be called that as his Master had stopped using that word after a while, Marik saw it and felt guilty for a second and looked away. Seto now moved in front of Ryou.

"Don't you mean that there is something wrong with you?" Seto asked Marik but knelt down and looked Ryou over.

"Just do whatever you do… and find out what's wrong with him." Marik snapped at him.

"What I'm I looking for again?" Seto asked running a hand over his face still half asleep.

"Ryou remembers a few things that he shouldn't." Malik said from the doorway.

"Right." Seto said. "What do you mean by a few things?"

"Everything." Bakura said. Seto nodded his head and looked at Ryou asking. "Ryou, what year is it?"

"4200bc." Ryou said and Bakura almost choked.

"He thinks we're back in 4200." Malik said more to himself with a smirk, "We met that year." Malik knelt down almost pushing Seto aside as he took Ryou's hand. "Do you remember how we met?" Ryou shook his no; Malik lent up and hugged him anyway. "But you know me, right?"

"Of course." Ryou smiled at him. "But I don't remember how we met." He frowned, as did Malik.

"Ryou do you remember about us?" Bakura asked and Ryou's hand shot up to his neck and felt around for a necklace, he went pale pulling his shirt out and looking down it he then looked at Bakura with tears in his eyes.

"I lost it." It was almost a whisper he jumped up and started to pull cushions off the chair, Seto and Malik moved out of his way watching him pull apart the chair. "I just had it, I know I did." Bakura was there instantly and wrapped his arms around Ryou and stopped him. "I'm sorry it was careless of me to lose it."

"It's alright I'll make you another one." Ryou lent against Bakura. "I'm sorry Master." Ryou mumbled. "I must have missed placed it… I don't… I'm confused." Ryou took in a shaky breath. "everything is missing, I can't recall anything."

"Bakura a word." Seto walked to the other side of the room, Bakura looked up and nodded, he noticed Marik standing in the corner watching them, but he moved to stand next to Seto to hear what he had to say, Malik was instantly there taking Bakura's place by holding Ryou. He walked over to Seto. "I sense magic here… a spell at most."

"On Ryou, how?" Bakura looked over.

"We know that." Marik mumbled.

"Yeah you did, I wanted to know for sure." Bakura said, Marik rolled his eyes.

"Anyway… I can't tell you when it was placed but Ryou would have to have been out on his own. Witches wouldn't have tried it with any of you around him. Ryou probably goes to school with about fifty or so witches and he wouldn't know." Seto placed his hands into his pockets, Bakura growled.

"I'll tie every witch to a wood stake and burn them."

"Nice, and we'll have that in the middle of town and cook marshmallows on the bon fire while they all burn." Seto rolled his ice blue eyes. "And while you're at it let's start another war shall we, and maybe this time you might lose Malik, Ryou and Marik or even your own life."

"Don't patronize me." Bakura seethed.

Seto gave a tired sigh and said flatly. "Look this is a spell as much as you hate it to be, but the kid that's standing there has been dead for years and suddenly he knows everything, come on… you of all should have smelt a rat."

"And that rat is named Ishizu." Bakura spat out, hissing and eyes narrowed.

"So if you have rats?" Seto offered.

"Make Rat burgers." Bakura finished.

"Sounds yum." Seto smirked. "Just save me some." Bakura nodded and walked back over to Ryou and Malik who were in their own little world kissing and Malik getting in a little groping, Ryou yelped as he was picked up by Bakura and carried to the door.

Malik pouted. "I had him first." He ran out of the room.

Marik sighed and shook his head.

"Why do I have a feeling that you're not as happy as the other two?" Seto said taking a seat and looking at Marik's back, whose shoulders slumped slightly.

"Because I'm not."

"Oh." Seto raised an eyebrow at him. "I thought you of all…"

"I'm not as gullible as Bakura and Malik."

"I didn't say you were."

"No, but you where going to imply it." Marik turned around. "What did you think just because someone who looks like Ryou walks into this house and I'm falling head over heels for him… I think not."

"I see." Seto pushed himself up standing straight. "You're not wanting to be hurt again."

"Mind your fucking business healer!" Marik snapped fangs bared and wings bristled he stalked towards the door.

"Marik!" Seto called out and the said Demon stopped growling at him warningly, Seto continued anyway. "You know sometimes destiny comes knocking and offers a second chance to someone, they should take it. As destiny doesn't knock to loudly or to often." Marik looked over his shoulder at Seto. "I'm saying." Seto said. "Ryou even thought he's not the old one… He's still a second chance gift… and you should take it while you can before destiny gives up knocking and takes him away. All you have to do is open that door."

Marik just shook his head and walked out of the room, Seto followed him. "Marik!" He stopped and looked back at Seto again. "Keep Bakura and Malik away from him until the spell wares off, his mind may remember you all, but his body may not." Seto gave Marik a smirk, Marik frowned at him, but he was right Ryou may not have indulged in such bed activities. "Oh and I'll take a look around the place to make sure that the witches didn't sneak in."

"Malik placed Ryou in his room for the night." Marik said. "Might be a good place to start." Seto nodded.

"I'll have a look in the morning, just stay out of there until then. But you better move they have been alone with Ryou for long enough" With that Seto had gone back into his room Marik let out a growl and dashed upstairs.

Marik pushed open the door to find Ryou pinned against Malik as Bakura ravaged his neck bodies pressed against each other, the two Demons where purring as the teen bit his lip to control the moans. Marik walked in closing the door behind him. "Alright enough." Marik walked to the bed and pushed Bakura aside a pulled Ryou towards him who squeaked, Malik pouted as Marik held Ryou and got comfy, Ryou reluctantly relaxed his Master had been in a mood and was weary of him.

"Go to sleep." Marik commanded using a small amount of power Ryou fell instantly asleep in his arms.

"What?! You get to sleep with him and I don't?" Bakura snapped, seeing _his_ mate wrapped up in Marik's arms, it should be him.

"You're in the same bed Bakura." Marik pointed out and slapped Malik's groping hand away from Ryou and wrapped his arms more protectively around the human, pulling him close and again Marik swiped at Malik's grouping hands. "Leave him be or I'll take him into another room." Marik warned them Bakura grumbled and settled down along with Malik all three Demons watched the now sleeping human for a while but ended up falling asleep soon after.

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**TBC**

Remember to **Review** me people.


	8. Chapter 8

Yes the plot will be the same just improved, IMPROVED PEOPLE!! New and shiny just for you… So just enjoy.

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Warning: M** and **Yaoi**.

**CHAP 8:**

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Very little light came through the heavy drapes, Ryou groaned as the edges of sleep and dreaming faded and made way for reality. He opened his eyes only to have his vision blurred in one eye and the other was in the pillow. He closed his eyes again, he had a killer headache and he was _so_ comfortable and warm. It was so peaceful. There was no barking dogs or cars in the street going by, no neighbours fighting or yelling at each other, there was no Yugi who would come running in yelling his name before jumping on the bed... but for Yugi to do that it had to be the weekend, but it wasn't the weekend yet… Wait a minute? He opened an eye again and felt that he was on an unfamiliar mattress and pillow and how good the smell was, this was in Ryou's mind heaven.

Then a thought crossed his mind, he had gone out last night… but where did he go and where was he now? Who was he with?… Surely he had returned to Yugi's house last night. But this bed was far too comfy for him to even remember sleeping on such a soft bed before. He blinked a few times to clear his vision and hopefully his head too. What happened last night? He tried to roll over but found something warm and solid met his shoulder.

Ryou turned his head to see what it was but movement came and something warm and solid pressed to his front with a hint of purring and a leg moved between his thighs and pressed against him. Ryou held in a groan. That leg, no someone's thigh rubbed up against him again and he bit his lip... Now he was wide-awake! He lifted his head to see what was going on but an arm wrapped around his front and under his neck falling over his chest and pulled him closer to that warm and solid wall at his back, slurred mumbled words by the sleeper. Ryou then noticed that he was tangled up with arms and legs that were not his own, tanned limbs held him in place.

Ryou's eyes widen and he tensed as _Malik_ snuggled up to him, when did he agree to sleep in the same bed as Malik? They just met! Movement from the other side of Malik got Ryou's attention and he saw… what was his name again?… _Bakura_. Ryou blushed lost for words as the blanket was riding low on Bakura's hips and from what Ryou could tell Bakura was naked, and _he _was starting to panic now. What had he done last night? Arms tightened around him and he turned his head so quick that he almost gave himself whiplash… _Marik_?! Was snuggled up to his back and purring and Ryou's back was firmly pinned to his chest and Malik pressed against his front.

Ryou lay still thinking on what to do, when his mind wondered again, _This was so nice, comfortable and safe…_ and it gave Ryou a warm feeling that spread through his chest and then his whole body and he relaxed into the hold. Ryou's left leg was over Malik's hip and his arm _was _wrapped around Malik's chest. _No, no this wasn't right, was it? _Ryou felt a need to get out before they woke up. He needed to work out what happened to him last night that end up with him in bed with three males.

He tried to untangle himself from the arms and legs that held him in place. He lifted away the final limb that was Malik's arm from off his hip… Malik woke up unfocused light lavender eyes seemed to came clear with every blink, Ryou froze in place and held his breath, hoping that Malik would fall back to sleep but that didn't happen as Malik gave him a soft smile. "Hey." He mumbled moving closer, Ryou's mouth opened and closed trying to come up with a response that didn't result in him screaming out of sear embracement and panic. Malik lent up and kissed Ryou on the cheek. "I hoped you slept well?" Malik whispered sounding like this was the most normal thing in the world, _well it wasn't normal not by far_.

Ryou dared to ask and hoped that it wasn't that scream he had held back… he whispered, so not to wake the others. "What am I doing in here?"

"You don't remember last night?" Malik asked, not surprised at all as Seto said he might not remember, but Malik had hopped he would.

"No… what did I do?" Ryou looked worried and Malik gave a disappointing pout, and indeed this conformed it that a spell of some kind had been placed on Ryou last night, and now they would have to find out how it was done.

"You were great! The best lay I had in years." Bakura mumbled and rolled over wrapping an arm around Malik's waist.

"WHAT!?" Ryou yelled he sat up eyes widening as he tired to get out of the bed, Malik flinched, Bakura smirked and Marik fell out of bed with a thud and a yelp.

"FUCK!" Marik sat up on the floor next to the bed and instantly looked around confused and alert at the same time.

"Bakura!" Malik scowled him, as Bakura started to chuckle madly, Malik turned to the frightened boy who was still trying to get up out of the bed, but had ended up tangling himself in the sheets. "He's being an ass again, Ryou. Nothing happened." Malik reassured him as he pulled Ryou back down in the bed trying to clam the teen down.

Marik climbed back into the bed growling, he gave Bakura a swift hit up the side of his head. "You didn't have to scare him like that, or me." Marik hissed out, but then realized what he had said and scowled himself for it.

"I couldn't resist." Bakura's smirk fell at the look of the still shocked and pale Ryou, who was trying to remove Malik's hands from his sides.

"You had a nightmare last night and you came in here." Malik moved his hands and brushed the hair out of Ryou's eyes; who was still trying to untangle his legs from the sheet but found it hard with Malik being so close and Marik behind him limiting his movements.

"I don't remember." Ryou said as he slid backwards but ended up bumping into Marik. He was trapped. Marik growled at him. "I don't remember anything from last night." Ryou stopped his moving about.

"That's okay _we_ really didn't mind you being in here with us." Bakura got up and lent over Malik, who grunted at the extra weight Bakura now put on him. Bakura lent right in, Ryou pressed his head back into the pillow to keep a good distance between them and failed. "I didn't mind at all." Bakura closed the gap between them and kissed him, their eyes locked Bakura seeing if he would be stopped and mostly what Ryou's reaction would be, Ryou gasped his eyes widened which allowed Bakura to deepen the kiss and move himself the rest of the way over Malik and pressed himself against Ryou. Bakura's lips never leaving the humans… after a few good seconds Ryou's eyes slid closed and he relaxed a little. Bakura growled mostly in pleasure moved one hand into Ryou's hair and held the back of his head as the other hand moved down his side as Bakura pressed himself more against Ryou… remembering that Bakura _was_ _naked_… Ryou tensed and started to squirm under him.

"Bakura?!" Marik tapped him on the shoulder; Bakura slowly pulled away and released his hold, the human panted and blushed even more, Bakura watched him for a minute with an amused smirk on his lips then he glanced at Marik.

"What?!" Bakura's amusement fell at the dark look on Marik's face.

"He needs to breath." Marik said as Ryou gasped and was moving away his back hit the headboard stopping his retreat, which wasn't that far. Bakura narrowed his eyes at Marik then looked back at Ryou.

"Don't be scared, Ryou." Malik moved up to Ryou's side. "We would never hurt you." Malik gave him a chaste kissed on the lips, Ryou squeaked and blushed even more. "Or make you do anything you didn't want to." Once again Ryou was trying to remove Malik's hands from his hips this time, Ryou noticed that Malik had wandering hands.

"I-I'm really confused right now." Ryou squirmed again as Malik moved in closer and lightly bit and licked his neck, Ryou let out a groan as he slid down a little in the bed and once again he was being turned into goo. Malik purred as he made his way to Ryou's mouth, who gasped but with the gasp Bakura moved Malik out of the way and met Ryou's lips in another kiss and deepened it.

Ryou was trying to hold them off the best he could, but when he succeeded with one of them another would take his place, not that Ryou wasn't starting to enjoy it… he was but a lot of questions were running free in his head and the lack of oxygen was making him dizzy. A yelp came and Ryou opened his eyes to see Bakura and Malik gone from the bed, Ryou glanced up at Marik who sneered at him. "Don't let them push you around." He pulled Ryou from the bed and to his feet. Bakura and Malik were in a tangled heap of arms and legs on the floor, and to Ryou's relief Bakura wasn't naked, but his boxers were riding low on his hips.

Marik took his hand and led Ryou to the bathroom door and opened it. "Breakfast is in ten, shower and come downstairs." Marik demanded a little coldly and added. "I'll get some clothes for you and leave them on the bed." Marik walked away not really wanting anything to do with him, but didn't want Bakura and Malik getting to far with him in bed, he personally couldn't see it happen right now… the boy was still a whelp and an intruder on his family.

When the bedroom door closed Ryou yelped as Bakura's hands were on his hips and Bakura guided him backwards into the bathroom a deviously grin on his lips. "Let me help you." Bakura purred and made a move to close the bathroom door behind them, Ryou's eyes widened, but then Bakura gasped as Marik pulled him out of the bathroom.

"Bakura, the boy is capable of bathing himself… help me with breakfast." Ryou let out a breath and relaxed a little, what a morning! Ryou turned towards the shower now that he was a lone, but the door closed on it's own. Ryou wiped around and took a step back to find Malik standing there in the shadows of the bathroom, '_had he been there before when I entered the bathroom?' _Malik's left hand was on the bathroom door that was now closed and a slyly grin on his face.

"You have no abjections of _me_ helping you, do you?" Malik walked towards him, Ryou backed up, he gasped as his back hit the wall and Malik lent over and turned the shower on. Then straightened up and looked at a nevus Ryou. "Is something wrong?" He asked moving away a little giving Ryou some room, that blush was back again.

"Well I… I'm just… and you're all so…" Ryou fell over his words; his heart pounded in his chest, why did he react to them when they were close to him? Malik frowned.

"Over whelming." Malik finished for him; Ryou nodded his head and bit his lip. "Can I ask you something?" Ryou said hoping to keep Malik and his hands at bay for a short time at lest, Malik nodded his head curiously. "What's going on? You all sleep in the same bed and..."

"We're together." Malik simply said.

"Together as in?" Ryou asked not quite getting the meaning of the words.

"Together, together." Malik smirked again at him; Bakura had demanded that he would explain everything to Ryou himself… Ryou nodded his head and didn't realize how close Malik was to him now.

"How do you feel about us?" Malik ran a hand through Ryou's hair, the shower still going. "I know that it's only been a short time, but I'm just curious."

"I like you… I do but."

"But?" Malik asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Your just so grabby, I'm not used to it." Malik's grin grew even bigger, it wasn't a no or I hate you and never want to see you again.

"What if we take things a little slower?"

"I'd like that." Ryou smiled, though he didn't know why they wanted to jump him every time they looked at him or why _he_ liked it. Malik pulled Ryou into a kiss that left him breathless.

"I want to get to know you." Ryou blushed and added. "But you still really haven't explained to me how this works with this relationship, there are three of you."

"Four." Malik corrected, Ryou wrinkled his nose and titled his head just a little saying. "But there's you, Bakura and Marik, who else is there?"

"You." Malik said, Ryou frowned and watched as Malik grabbed both his hands into his and brought them to his chest and lent in. "Ryou?" The said teen looked up and Malik said softly. "You don't have to be nervous or scared around us… We won't push you into anything you don't want to... but you can trust us."

"Trust is earned not given." Ryou said.

Malik sighed. "True." He looked down a little hurt, but looked up as Ryou cupped his left cheek and smiled softly that made Malik's heart jump in his chest.

"I'm not promising anything… but I'll try, okay." Ryou bit his lip as Malik smiled and pulled him into a hug.

"I couldn't ask for more!" Malik placed light kisses all over Ryou's face, who laughed and tried to make him stop.

Malik pulled back he couldn't remember being this happy in a long time sure Bakura and Marik made him happy, but Ryou being here and in his reach took it to a whole new level. "Come on the water will get cold." Malik said as he lent his forehead on Ryou's.

"With you?!" Ryou said, it was more of a yelp.

"Yes with me… You don't have to if you don't want to… I don't bite hard." Malik started to pull the rest of his clothes off, Ryou looked away giving Malik his privacy, who discarded his clothes on the floor and stepped in the shower, leaving Ryou to make up his own mind.

Ryou bit his lip and looked around nervously as he fiddled with the hem of his shirt. "I would rather wait until your done." Ryou shifted as he turned and moved to the door his hand wrapped around the door handle, but a wet arm stopped him from opening the door and turned him back around.

"What's wrong? What are you afraid of?" Malik asked. "I said I wouldn't do anything that you didn't want too." He said, as he looked Ryou up and down Malik sighed. "Please this would be the first step in trusting me." Malik said a little disappointed. "I just really like you." Malik said, Ryou looked down but his chin was lifted again. "Join me we'll wash and nothing more." Malik said as he reached out and grabbed the hem of Ryou's top and slowly lifted it.

"It's not a good idea Malik really." Ryou jumped and tried to pull the top back down but it was to late. Malik had seen a bruise on his abdomen.

"What is that?" Malik asked as he moved Ryou's hands out of the way, and lifted the top up more. "Ryou, what happened?" Malik looked at him wide eyed as he reached out a hand to touch Ryou's abdomen.

"Please Malik, I was careless and nothing more." Ryou moved away from him and pulled his top down, Malik pulled back his hand.

"Careless… how?" Malik didn't like this at all, Ryou gave him a '_please__don't ask'_ look. Malik frowned and anger started to bubble. "Careless how?" Malik asked again more sternly, Ryou shifted and bit his lip saying. "I fell down the stairs when it was raining and I slipped, I'm a klutz." Malik just stared at him for a minute, and knew that he was lying and a little taken back, then growled as he took a step forward to Ryou.

Ryou had been trying to avoid anyone in seeing his bruises; he had hoped that no one would see them at all or until he was old enough to move out on his own… It had been a few days since his father had beaten him last; it wasn't enough to have them healed completely.

Ryou looked up. "No one gets like that from falling down the stairs, Ryou." Malik lifted his chin, but Ryou closed his eyes. Malik knew someone was responsible for the marks on Ryou's body. He suppressed a growl, they had gone for so long without Ryou and he would be dammed if he let some foolish mortal hurt his beloved.

"Malik." Ryou whimpered. "Please don't say anything about this."

"Fine I won't say anything." It was so hard for him to say that. "But can I show you something?" Ryou looked up and nodded his head slowly. "I don't just let anyone see this, but for Bakura and Marik." Malik turned around, and Ryou gasped at the horrid angry scaring on Malik's shoulder blades. "My father did it before he died and when I met Marik." Ryou reached out his fingers to touch it. But stopped and pulled back his hand. "You can touch it if you like." Ryou swallowed the lump in this throat and ran his fingers over the scaring.

"It must have hurt." Ryou whispered as some of the skin was smooth and other parts were a little ridged were the flesh had been ripped.

"It was my punishment for." Malik stopped for a minute and rethought what he was saying, Malik turned back around. "I won't say anything to anyone, but if Bakura and Marik see that then they'll want to know and you'll be on your own when that happens." Malik smirked and took Ryou's hand in his. Ryou smiled and nodded his head. "Come on then before that water goes cold." Malik stepped into the shower. Ryou bit his lip and then followed Malik.

Soon both were done in the bathroom and Malik did a small amount of groping but nothing Ryou couldn't handle, and as Marik had said there was a fresh clean uniform on the bed for him. They soon walked into the kitchen Marik and Bakura at the table; Ryou soon noticed that it was such a large house for only three people. Ryou sat down next to Bakura and Malik sat on his other side and started to fill his plate of pancakes, Ryou soon followed, half way through Bakura got up and left the room it was soon after that that Ryou noticed the time, he had twenty minutes to get to school. "Ah, I'm going to be late!" Ryou jumped up from the table. He would have to run all the way and even then he was going to be late. He turned to Marik, who raised an eyebrow at him. "Thank you for breakfast Marik." The said Demon snorted at him and looked away, Malik growled at him for him to be more polite.

Marik narrowed his eyes at Malik then looked at Ryou and said. "You're welcome." Ryou who had missed the exchange of looks and growls gave Marik a small smile and ran to the door, forgetting where he was and ran right into Bakura, who caught him before he fell.

"Do you always run into those you like?" Bakura grinned as Ryou blushed for the tenth time that morning. "So where are you off to in such a rush?" He pulled Ryou into his arms and kissed him firmly on the lips, cutting off any answer Ryou had until he was done and once again leaving Ryou weak at the knees.

"I'm going to be late for school." Ryou managed to say and shyly lent up and kissed him on the cheek, Bakura was speechless and smirked, as he then pinned Ryou to the wall "Well since your late, I could use a little play time with you." He kissed Ryou more passionately, his hands pulling out Ryou's shirt and raked his hands down Ryou's chest and sides, who bit his lip to hold back the moan.

"No you're not, Ryou. I'm taking you on my motorbike." Malik got up and then left the kitchen.

Bakura let Ryou go, feeling satisfied for a while as Ryou would be at school. "Will you be coming back later? I really would like to talk to you more." Bakura asked moving back a little.

"I'm not sure." Ryou gave him a smile. "Grandpa might not be too happy that I stayed out all night." He then left in search of Malik, he found him at the front door.

"Ready." Malik threw a helmet over to Ryou who caught it and smiled.

"Malik!" Both of them looked over as Marik approached them. "Don't forget that we have a meeting later." He eyed Ryou as he pulled Malik to him and kissed him on the lips.

"No I haven't forgotten." Malik smirked a little and noticed that Ryou was blushing and looking anywhere else but in their direction, Malik moved away from Marik and took Ryou's hand and led him to the front door.

"Bye Marik." Ryou gave him a wave and a smile as they walked out the door and down the path to their left. A few minutes later they drove off down the driveway Malik giving him a wave.

Marik smirked and shook his head, he had noticed that Malik was happier so was Bakura ever since the finding of Ryou. That smirk died and a scolding look took its place, they were heading for a downfall. He walked back into the kitchen seeing Bakura at the table, he walked over and kissed him on the head and walked by but Bakura grabbed Marik and pulled him down onto his lap.

"When are you going to be convinced?" Bakura asked taking a bite of his toast with his free hand and his other arm around Marik's waist.

"When the witches praise their undying loyalty to the Demon race." Marik got up. "Or should that be praise their undying loyalty to Yami?" He walked over to the fridge and opened it then started to put everything away.

"Marik." Bakura stood up and walked over to him leaning on the counter. "What has changed you to think like this? Sixty years ago you would have jumped him at first sight."

"That's right, sixty years ago… I might have." Marik started to slam food into the fridge now agitated by the conversation.

"So what has changed?" Bakura pressed.

"Nothing!" Marik snapped.

"You're lying." Bakura pointed out.

"I'm not."

"You are."

"Get off my case."

"Then tell me."

"No, just leave it!" Marik hissed at him.

"Not until you tell me." Bakura crossed his arms over his chest; Marik rolled his eyes and went to walk past. He had had enough of this, but Bakura stopped him by wrapping his arms around Marik. "Is it that you're so bitter at him for leaving us, that you have turned on the one chance that he could be the real thing and for us to be complete again?" Marik swallowed the lump in his throat.

"By all means Bakura chase him, make him your new mate to replace the old one… but don't ask me to like it." Marik pulled himself free and walked out of the room.

* * *

It was noon as Ryou and Malik were under the tree eating and talking with each other, Malik lay on his side under the tree and Ryou sat at his side. Ryou found himself enjoying his time with Malik more and more. He found out so much about Malik, when the said teen wasn't trying to grope him, he liked music, movies most of the old ones, fast motorbikes, and also found out that Malik's feelings were open for Ryou to see, if they were alone.

Malik found out that Ryou was shy and quiet but that was nothing new, a little hard to get to open up but it was to be expected, but once he had, mind you it took him all morning of making Ryou laugh, a few hugs here and a kiss there… did the teen warm up to him and was caring. Malik also found out, just by talking and observing Ryou that he was lonely and in need of some serious loving. Hey that was his point of view of Ryou anyway.

"Ryou hey!" They both looked up and Malik growled they had ruined their utopia. Ryou looked at Malik with a curious gaze. Yugi, Anzu, Joey and Honda all sat down around them.

"I've been looking everywhere for you today. What happened to you last night?" Yugi asked with a frown on his face.

"Sorry Yugi, it got late and with the storm… Malik offered for me to stay the night." He didn't want to tell Yugi that he had been attacked by a group of guys and then saved by someone that's trying to get to know him and quite possible in the near feature be more then just friends.

"A phone call would have been nice." Yugi mumbled a little upset. "Grandpa was so worried about you he thought that you're..." Ryou cut him off.

"I really am sorry if I worried you both." Ryou bowed his head looking at his hands in his lap.

"Yeah Ryou, Yugi was up most of the night worried about you as well." Honda hissed as he pointing at Yugi.

"I just apologized for it." Ryou raised his eyes brows at the teen.

"Stay out of it Honda, it has nothing to do with you, man." Joey said.

Malik gave a warning growl not liking how they were talking to his Ryou, and he could sense that they were upsetting him. "And who is this guy?" Honda asked pointing at Malik. "I haven't seen you before, who are you?" He asked Malik directly.

"It's none of your business." Malik growled anger flashed through his eyes turning them crimson for a split second, this guy was going to be his lunch if he didn't watch how he talked to Ryou and himself, but speaking of food Malik needed to find someone for a quick _pick me up_ feeding.

"We met Malik at the mall the other day." Anzu chippered beaming at him as she said this. Malik rolled his eyes, trust her to open her mouth, the girl had no clue what was really going on and he had to wonder if she knew what she was, in the first place.

"You only met him the other day and your staying overnight at his house?" Honda was shocked, Anzu gasped placing a hand over her mouth. "No, he didn't?!" She looked at Ryou. Honda was a little pissed, he had been trying to get Ryou to stay at his house for about a month now but Ryou kept refusing him.

"Yes we had an assignment to work on, our independent study slash assignment." Ryou said as he looked at Malik even thought they didn't get any of it done.

"It's okay Ryou… but Grandpa wants to see you this afternoon." Yugi gave him a smile. "So come home right away, okay?" Yugi patted his knee and Ryou gave him a smile and a nod of his head. Malik frowned at the hand on Ryou's knee having the need to snap it off and hand it back to Yugi with a warning not to touch what was his.

"How could you just stay at his place like that, Ryou? He could have been a psycho path serial killer." Honda was getting angry at this point.

"Hardly and what are you his keeper?" Malik asked a note of annoyance in his voice, maybe he should change that idea and test it out on Honda.

"No, but you of all people Ryou should have known better then to run off like that." He said, Malik held back a growl, he wasn't going to play this game of competing for Ryou's attention or affections in anyway, he had all rights to the human, and Ryou was his, but one of the others jumped in before Malik had a chance to say anything.

"Honda what's gotten into you, man?" Joey spoke up again.

"I think you should just leave it for Grandpa and myself to discus with Ryou at home not a school." Yugi said sternly, Honda ignored him.

"So you meet this guy for five minutes and you go home with him?" He seethed at Ryou feeling his efforts gone to waste and being rejected. Malik growled again as Ryou moved closer to him; Malik could feel his fangs lengthen in his mouth.

What was Honda implying about him? That he was some kind of… Ryou shook his head and said. "It wasn't like that, and I can take care of myself, I don't need you coming to my aid." Ryou said getting a little angry by this stage himself.

"I've been around a lot longer then him… but you ignore me and fall for the new guy?" He hissed, Ryou had known that Honda had a crush on him from the start, hell everyone knew it.

"Are you jealous?" Malik asked smirking as he sat up. "That Ryou has spent time with me and wouldn't give you the time of day." Malik scoffed and added while Honda huffed all flustered. "But you should be thankful that you even get to sit with him like this." Honda jumped to his feet towering over Malik and promise of death look on his face, Malik too stood up and was eye level with the other.

"Malik don't." Ryou stood up also and tugged on his sleeve, Malik looked down and saw Ryou shake his head no, Malik sighed and gave into him with a smile, not wanting to upset Ryou. The bell rang and most of the students started to walk by towards the building. "I'll see you at the gate after school." Ryou said to Yugi as the small group stood up also.

Malik shoved Honda with his shoulder /_… I'll be seeing you…_/ He growled and gave a fanged grin that meant it, Honda looked scared and confused he just sat down without a word as if working out where the voice in his head had come from.

Malik walked away with Ryou holding his hand, he looked back at Honda with a smirk on his lips satisfied with himself. He turned back around and followed Ryou obediently into the building.

* * *

**TBC**

I had to leave it there or it would be to long, but don't worry Yugi and Yami will meet in the next chap a little differently then what I had, and a few new bits also. So **Review** me readers.


	9. Chapter 9

Well this chap is mostly completely new Oo but was in the original paper copy, you heard me PAPER! But I'm having mental blocks on most of everything, and I'm trying to post what I have, Yami and Yugi's meeting is different than what I had before, but it fits, so onward.

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Warning**: M and Yaoi.

**CHAP 9**

* * *

Marik gave an irritated sigh, the meeting hadn't gone as well as he would have liked. The council bitched about a few things, mates mostly, or lack there of, and something was thrown in about the population declining in the last twenty years and how most species of the other world had been wiped out all together. Marik's bitter mood of having to be there doubled ten fold at the very mention of the few dragons left alive. (_Five in total and in hiding_.) Not that he cared weather the Demon race or any other race lived or not to see the next hundred years. He had Malik and that's all he could ask for and Bakura was a plus bonus and added that extra kinky kick to bed that gave it just the right touch of twisted fun, oh yes Marik liked twisted fun very much.

Yami and Seto walked in behind them talking over what had been discussed in the meeting. "I have to study a little." Malik said, as he turned holding Marik by the biceps for balance and lent on his tip toes and gave Marik a kiss on the lips briefly and pulled away, before Marik could make anymore out of it, Malik jogged off to the living room.

"What the hell for?!" Marik called out disappointed and pouting that he missed his chance to grope a little.

Malik stopped at the door and looked over his shoulder and said sternly. "Apparently, I'm so far behind in school that they appointed me a tutor." Malik wrinkled his nose.

"A what?" Marik asked confused as Malik rolled his eyes.

"According to the school and Seto." Here Malik's spat out the words like acid. "I'm stupid!" Yami and Seto stopped walking and looked Malik's way, missing the death glare Marik instantly shot Seto's way.

"I never put that in." Seto raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat.

"You had better explain, Healer." Marik hissed, his fangs lengthened and his wings spread out from his back with a soft _whoosh_ and paused ready for flight and battle.

"What do you think?!" Seto turned his head to Marik, ice blue eyes narrowed. "That the last time Malik was in school was back in…" He frowned and trailed off, not even he could remember the last time the half-demon boy had been in such a place.

"England 1750." Malik huffed out, his large black wings ruffled on his back at the same time. "And it wasn't much of a school either." He added annoyed, really it had been in the teachers house and there where five other teens his age, which happened to be the towns most richest and privileged teens… and Malik's meal at the end of the day. What a scolding he got from Marik and Bakura when he arrived home.

"There you see." Seto replied with a wave of his hand at Malik. "And if I recall it, Malik. You couldn't even speak Demon, English or even Japanese properly, let alone write it."

"I speak Japanese and Egyptian just fine!" Malik growled. "And I still can… you tell me how many people today can say they speak fluent ancient Egyptian and write it?" Marik waved a hand at Malik for him to calm down.

"I put in the transcripts, that Malik would need a little help catching up with the tuition." Seto added in his defence, unlike the others in the house; Seto had gone to school to keep up with everything, where as the rest of them just lived with whatever the world threw at them. He was Seto Kaiba, first class Healer and he would not be unprepared for anything.

Marik raised an eyebrow and said to Seto. "I could have hired a…" Here Marik faulted over his words frowning slightly as he tried to thinking on how to put the words… "A _tutor_ for him." The four still stood in the entrance hallway, Yami looking rather bored over the conversation.

"And waste good money on someone that Malik will only feed from when he tires of them." Seto's growl rang out in the small hall and at the same time the large clock chimed. "It's your money you're wasting, Marik, no one else's."

Marik knew all to well that when Malik tired of something that had a pulse, he would feed from them to the point were they were bound to die, but that hadn't happened in over six months and the gardener had pissed Malik off. "Are you happy with the tutor they gave you?" Marik asked, if not that person was going to be Malik's meal for sure. Malik smiled dream like and nodded his head with an impish grin, they had appointed Ryou to be his tutor, not for Ryou's smarts or grading reasons but simply for the human had the patience of time itself, Malik mumbled. "Oh yeah."

Yami shook his head as he made his way for the front door again snatching up his dark blue almost black jacket. "I'm going out!" With that the door closed, Seto raised a questionable eyebrow at the door then at Marik, who shrugged and his wings sat nicely against his back, Malik walked into the living room, leaving his mate and the healer in the hallway.

"I have work to do." Seto said as he headed for the stairs. Marik grinned mischievously, with hardly anyone in the house, he could entertain himself with Malik. "I'll need your help, Marik." A calm voice came from above him. Marik gave a self-suffering sigh and looked up to the landing to see Seto leaning on the railing looking down at him with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah."

Marik watched Seto with narrowed eyes; he was leaning on the wall just in front of the bed and next to the door. They both searched the room over and came up with nothing Malik's room was how it should be. They all had their own rooms; Bakura's was the door at the very end of the hallway. Malik's room was right across from Marik's and that's where they all slept every night, in Marik's room. Malik's bedroom was where Ryou had slept last night. "I'm not finding anything here." Said the tall Demon looking over the bed and moving about the light tan sheets and pillows leaving it in a mess and sending Ryou's scent into the air and it irritated Marik to some degree.

"Maybe it wasn't cast while he was in bed or this room?" Marik said thoughtfully, he didn't care at all that a spell had been placed on Ryou, but what he did care about was the fact that the spell might have been indented for Malik, since it was his room. Seto dropped the sheets and looked the room over, then at Marik with a raised eyebrow. "I don't think that it even happened in this room."

"Then where? And why did it only take effect last night." Marik said as he walked over to the large windows, he brushed the heavy curtains aside as he did, a fine powder came off the material, Marik's eyes widened and he went to hold his breath but he had breathed it in anyway.

"Marik, where did Bakura put his volumes of..." Malik trailed off as he entered the room flipping the pages of a book in his hands, but looked up as Marik coughed placing a hand over his mouth and nose and stumbled backwards, blood ran out from in-between his fingers and down the front of his body, Marik gave a gagged cough pulling his hand away and spat a large amount of blood onto the floor.

"Marik!" Malik called out dropping the book, he dashed forward and barely caught Marik and struggled to stay on his feet under Marik's weight.

* * *

On the other side of town in the late afternoon the school hallways erupted into noise of students rushing about to leave the building. Ryou feeling much like a ping-pong ball almost dropping his books and papers as he was bumped into and shoved about in the commotion. Ryou had made it to his locker in one piece, and by a miracle outside as well without incident or injury. But that was short lived, he had stepped outside into the cooling air and started for the front gates, the chaos had followed him like running water, students burst out through the doors, waving and calling to friends, talking loudly with excitement on what they were doing on the weekend, some waving to parents calling out _good byes _and getting into cars or on buses. Ryou stumbled a little as a group of girls walked around him, almost over him, talking excitedly about something that seemed so important. Ryou looked up as they passed him and doubted that they even saw him, he shifted his bag on his shoulder and brushed the hair out of his eyes. "Ryou?!" He turned around at his name being called and groaned at seeing Honda walking out of the doors and approached him at a fast pace.

"Hi Honda." Ryou gave him a smile and watched as Honda stopped in front of him. Both teens missing the tall pale figure of Bakura standing not to far away from them, leaning casually against the brick wall under the shade.

"About before at lunch, I was just worried that you might get hurt by this guy." He said, though his tone lacked the concern and had more of a bite to it.

"Why? I can take care of myself and Malik is very nice to me." Ryou smiled, Bakura smirked also at hearing the words, seems things where going his way.

"I don't know what you see in that guy?" Anger touched his voice, Ryou sighed thinking on how he could get out of this one. Ryou watched as a girl wearing the pink skirt, jacket uniform and blonde hair in a high up ponytail waved and jumped into a car.

"Who I hang out with is really none of your business." Ryou frowned, Honda clutched his hands into fists, and Bakura's grin grew more to reveal unusually sharp fangs, seemed that Ryou had a bit of a back bone.

"I'll ignore that comment… and I will be straight with you." Honda grabbed Ryou's upper arm almost painfully and pulled him closer, Honda knew Ryou could be dense at times. Ryou winched and his eyes widened and tried to pull his arm back from the iron grip.

"Let go!" Bakura straightened up pushing of the small wall on hearing Ryou call out, his eyes flashed crimson and narrowed dangerously and zeroed in on the taller teen.

"Shut up and listen... I love you. I have for a while now but you seem to be too blind to see it." Honda lent in for a kiss, Ryou ducked out of the way, causing the other to stumble forward a bit; Ryou used this distraction and stepped back, pulled his arm free and at the same time Ryou pulled Honda forward even more making him lose his balance and fall face first onto the cement, Bakura chuckled still un-noticed by Ryou and the other.

Ryou took a step back his eyes widened as he looked at Honda. "What's with everyone? Thinking they can just do what they want with me?!" Ryou narrowed his eyes as he watched Honda on the ground.

Now Honda was pissed, no one made a fool out of him, no one! Ryou said as the teen pick himself up. "I'm sorry how you feel I really am but I'm already involved with someone." Was he lying about that? What would Malik say if he were here now? Ryou had to wonder, most likely take that as a freewill to grope him whenever Malik felt like it, Ryou felt a tug of a smile but held it back.

"Who? That blonde you were with earlier today?" Honda growled out disgust and dusting himself off and straightening his clothes again.

"I don't know what to say to you to make you feel easier... but I'm happy in just being friends." Ryou said but yelped as Honda grabbed him by the front of his jacket and pulled him close again, Ryou's bag fell from his right shoulder and onto the ground behind him.

"Friends, Friends?! That's it you want to be, _friends_, after what I just told you." Honda seethed.

Ryou shook his head not agreeing with him but in disbelief of his anger that came so suddenly. Ryou spoke without stumbling over his words. "I just said, Honda, that I'm involved with someone!"

"What with that new freak, Malik?!" Honda was nose to nose with a wide-eyed Ryou who suddenly and shockingly felt very angry at the comment, though he didn't know why it upset him to hear someone call Malik a freak. Bakura stalked over towards them with a scolding look, he was going to end this, now.

"No, me!" Bakura grabbed onto Ryou's shoulder and onto Honda's wrist and twisted it, Honda yelped and let go of Ryou's top and stumbled back a few feet holding his injured wrist, Bakura turned Ryou around to face him and pulled the human closer to him.

"Bakura?!" Ryou squeaked out, wandering where he had come from and what he was doing here. Honda glared at Bakura. "Ryou's mine." Bakura hissed out possessively, before the said teen could reply, Honda blurted out.

"Who the fuck is this?" Honda pointed to Bakura, the demon's growl came deep from in his chest, a growl that anyone who knew Bakura well enough would have associated that growl with: Fighting enemies or about to kill someone… which Honda had just made it to the top of Bakura's hit list of '_Enemies to kill_.'

The demon stepped forward intending to take his needed feeding and kill this worthless human were he stood, but Malik's words made themselves known in his mind, of gaining Ryou's trust and love. So with all his self-control, which wasn't much, Bakura seethed out. "He's with me." Bakura turned to his human and ordered. "Get your bag, Ryou! We are leaving!" The teen hesitated for a minute before going for his bag, Honda moved forward at the same time trying to stop him. Bakura gave Honda a shove backwards, Ryou startled had leapt backwards also, Bakura standing in-between them.

"He's not going anywhere with you!" Honda demanded, still the bag sat on the ground, between Ryou and Bakura, who started to step forward, forcing Honda to move backwards, furious crimson eyes, met wide dark brown. The only thing running through Bakura's head was a chant of '_self control, must have self control_.'

Honda's back hit the brick wall of the school, the steps and front doors to his left, he looked about for an escape. Bakura growled out low enough for Honda to hear and only him; he whipped his head back to Bakura who was still approaching him slowly like a predator sizing up its prey for the attack. "Who are you to stop me from taking what is rightfully mine?" Bakura's eyes glowed with lust of a potential feeding; he could almost taste the blood in his month and running down his throat, to soothe the needy beast within. '_Fuck self control!_' Bakura's fangs showed in his grin, he had let some of his suppressed powers out to be seen by this teen.

Bakura cocked his head slightly and ran a tongue over his top fang; Honda recoiled back into the wall and much to Bakura's satisfaction. The wind blew and carried Ryou's scent with it and it filled the Demon's senses, his smirk faded when he remembered where he was and who's presences he was in. "Get your bag, Ryou!" He called out again, but kept his attention and eyes on Honda.

"I won't let you walk out with him." Honda spoke up; Bakura's grin grew into a sadistic one as he picked up on the lack of confidence and the quiver in the teen's voice. Bakura held in his chuckle of delight and growled out. "You listen to me, you sack of maggot flesh. Ryou is mine and mine alone." Bakura took another step leaning in only inches from the other teen's pale face. "I'll make you regret the day your worthless ass was born, if I catch you near him again." A cold shiver run up and down Honda's body, as those eyes seemed to stare right at him as if it was pulling out his soul to be eaten, and a cold sweat of fear broke out, _who is this guy?_ Honda thought.

"And I have eyes everywhere, watching… I'll know." Honda's eyes widened even more as Bakura narrowed his crimson ones that burned with a strained contained rage, swiftly Bakura raised a hand and flicked Honda on the nose, the teen yelped in fright and collapsed onto the floor on his rear end, eyes shut tightly as he whimpered, abruptly Bakura pulled away and turned on his heels and gave a satisfied grin to Ryou, who now clutched his bag in his arms with a confused look on his face.

"I'll walk you home." Bakura said leaving no room of arguments, he wrapped an arm around Ryou's shoulders and led him away; Ryou gave one last glance over his left shoulder at Honda, who still sat on the ground watching them… Bakura hadn't hurt Honda in anyway so Ryou had nothing to complain about but he felt rather thankful for Bakura's help.

* * *

Yugi was anxious to leave, as he wanted to walk home with Ryou, but the teacher had kept him back an extra hour, due to detention, and Ryou would be at home by now. Yugi had kept his head down to hide the blush that wouldn't go away in his embarrassment. "Times up, collect your things and go!" The teacher said in a flat tone voice.

Sound of chairs scraping the floor and talking broke out, but Yugi had gathered his things with lighting speed and fled the room and school. Joey had had a childish moment that happened a lot of the time, had pushed Yugi into the girl's locker room. Yugi stood there for a second, frozen in place as if he had to pull a speech out the top of his head and tell the millions of people, why the world was ending. As he gaped at all the half and some very naked girls that had just had their sports training class… the screams were enough to shatter glass and yells for him to get out, the towels that were thrown at him along with shoes and bags, one girl had even punched him and would have given him a black eye if it weren't for the wet towels on his head.

Yugi stumbled out of the locker room yelling back his apologies and turned to kill his friend, but didn't find Joey gloating on his well thought out childish prank… but rather a very annoyed teacher, hence the detention and the embarrassing blush.

Yugi had to stop by the chemist for his grandpa, it was getting late when the streetlights turned on and Yugi had passed the center of town when he was grabbed and shoved roughly to a slightly wet brick wall, knocking out all the air in Yugi's lungs. "Give me the bag!" The man hissed out, wearing baggy sweat pants, and a large sweat hooded-jumper. He looked around to make sure no one was watching, irritated on not getting a response the man ripped the bag from Yugi's shoulder.

Yugi grunted out breathlessly. "Take it." The bag wasn't worth his life. The man opened the bag and briefly looked through it, finding nothing but books and a bag of medication; he grinned as he slipped it over his shoulder and started to pat the teen down, Yugi whimpered and squirmed as rough hands ran over his body.

In an urgent gruff voice, he barked. "Money?! I want it!"

"I don't have any." Yugi coughed out getting his needed air back; he had spent the last money he had for his Grandpa's heart medications.

"Bullshit! All you punks carry money on you and a lot of it." He pulled a small pocketknife; Yugi gasped and shook his head watching the silver blade wave back and fourth under his nose.

"I don't…" Yugi screamed as a blade tore the clothing and flesh on his left arm.

"HEY!?" A voice called out, the man looked up and backed off, then quickly bolted into the shadows with the bag. "Hey, are you alright?" Yugi nodded and looked up and was met with red eyes with a touch of blue, Yugi held in his surprise that the other looked a little like him and nodded his head.

"Yeah… he took my bag." The taller nodded his head and placed a brown paper bag down at Yugi's feet and said. "Stay here and watch this!" With that he ran off after the man.

"IT'S NOT WORTH GETTING YOURSELF KILLED OVER!" Yugi called out after him, he felt guilty that his rescuer could be killed over a stupid backpack.

Five minutes later and to Yugi's surprise his savior came walking around the corner of the building with his backpack in tact and hanging from one hand.

"He didn't get far." He said holding out the bag, his red eyes racked over Yugi's form taking him all in. Yugi reached out to take the backpack with a thank you, but his injured arm was gently grabbed and pulled up, the other seemed to purr in pleasure and his eyes narrowed as he looked over the bloody wound. "Obviously I wasn't fast enough." His voice low and smooth.

"Really, you did enough." Yugi shivered and tried to pull his arm back, but the grip wouldn't allow it, the other hummed in thought and the crimson eyes slowly locked with Yugi's.

In those depths of crimson eyes Yugi saw nothing but confidence that didn't falter and most men would kill to have, this stranger simply screamed it with ease. "Allow me to take you home and tend to your wound." He picked up his brown paper bag and noticed the other was about to argue with him, he said sternly. "This is a bad part of town and you'll only be mugged again within two blocks." He started to walk knowing the teen would follow him; Yugi hesitated for a minute and ran after him the ache in his arm lessened somewhat.

Yugi fell into step next to his savior; he watched the ground for a minute then looked up at the slightly taller male and whispered out. "Thank you." Yugi said, biting his lip as the other didn't even look at him, didn't he hear what he had said? Yugi was about to speak up again.

"Why?" That cool voice sent a shiver down Yugi's spine again.

"Because, you saved me back there, he was going to kill me for sure." Yugi blurted out rather loudly and surprised that his savior had asked.

"He was a gutless thug and would have left you with a few wounds, but not kill you." Yugi noticed that the other kept his head and his eyes forward never wavered from his path he was walking on, but at the same time taking in all his surroundings.

"Still, a thank you is in order here… or I could just take it back again." The savoir merely grunted as a reply, Yugi fell silent again and watched the footpath.

"Yami." The smooth voice rang out again; Yugi looked up and raised an eyebrow. "My name is Yami."

"Yugi." The teen smiled as Yami gave a smile and a nod of his head.

* * *

**TBC**

That was the Original Yugi and Yami meeting and Bakura saving Ryou, again… but anyway **Review**me, still lots to come.


	10. Chapter 10

First off, you guys are all awesome for reading and reviewing me… letting me know that you like this story so much, anyway onward, I'm not sure how many of you actually read these author parts, so really, I could just be talking to myself. O.o???

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Warning**: M and Yaoi.

**CHAP 10 **

* * *

Yugi opened the front door and turned on the lights in the hallway. "This way." He guided Yami through the dark house turning on lights as they walked, knowing that his Grandpa would be in the shop at this time of night closing up. "Grandpa?!" Yugi called out into the shop, he pushed open the door to find the small store closed up, empty and dark. "That's odd." Yugi mumbled to himself as he looked around.

"Let's look at your wound, then you can worry about this Grandpa person." Yami said taking Yugi by the hand.

"Sure." Yugi mumbled and still couldn't help wondering where his Grandpa had gotten too. A smile spread across his lips at the warmth of Yami's hand holding his. Yami stopped suddenly in the small hallway.

"Umm?"

Yugi picked up on the confused sound. "This way." Yugi moved by him and started to lead Yami into the living room. "I'll get everything, wait here." Yugi pushed Yami down onto the couch, who gasped in surprise. "I'll just be a sec." With that Yugi was gone from the room, Yami sat up. _Were all humans pushy, or was it just this one? _ A few minutes later and Yugi returned with a white box in his hands, as Yugi walked into the living room and approached Yami he gasped at the sudden pain in his arm and almost dropped the small box.

Yami shot up from the couch and caught the box with one hand and wrapped his arm around Yugi to help him stay on his feet. "Here, let me." Yami knelt down pulling Yugi along with him; the teen fell onto his lap with a gasp and a blush.

"T-this isn't necessary, really."

Yami gave him a firm look, his crimson eyes shone in the dim light. "It's so I can see it better, I wouldn't want to hurt you." Yugi hesitated for a minute then nodded his head as Yami got to work. "So Yugi, lived here long?" Yami started to clean the wound hoping the light conversation would put the human at ease.

"Since I was five." Yugi answered watching Yami's fingers work and taking glances at his face. _He was handsome_. "My mom and dad died, Grandpa took me in." Yami's hands paused what they were doing and he glanced up, not sure what to say to something like that. Yugi spoke up, not sure what compelled him to say such things to this person he had just met tonight, but he felt he could trust him.

"I'm sure it was very sad for you." Yami mumbled softly as he went back to work, he had never had much interaction with humans except to feed from them, order them about and that was it. "I too lost my mother, though I was older, much older, but it still hurts the same." Yugi looked away as silence fell over them again.

Yami spoke up again, his hands moving once more as he cleaned the wound out with a damp white soft cloth. "And what do you sell in your store?" A change of subject was in order and Yugi was thankful for it.

"Games." Yugi watched as Yami's hands made quick work of the wound and a neat bandage was now wrapped around his arm, Yugi glanced up from his arm to Yami's crimson eyes, they sat there for a minute just staring at each other.

Yami's heart skipped a beat, this human could be what he had been looking for all these years, someone else to share the lonely nights with and fill the void of emptiness, to have someone to call his own and protect. Demon king or not, he too needed someone; he wanted someone to love him, why should he go without a mate of his own for the rest of his existence? With that thought Yami lent in, gently grasped Yugi's chin and tilted it downwards gently to his own lips in a kiss, the teen blushed as Yami pulled away and asked. "Can I see you again, Yugi?"

"I think I would like that." Yugi said in a whisper all the heat went to his face. "Or at least to thank you properly for what you have done for me."

"Really?!" Yami blurted out his voice just a pitch higher than normal, he couldn't believe it, he thought the human would scream at him, telling him to get out and never came back, a lot like most demons he had seen in the past, humans were so much different they were starved for love and affection, just like Ryou had in the past. Yami coughed and cleared his throat hoping Yugi didn't catch the slip up in his voice. Yugi held in a laugh and just smiled, Yami said in a much deeper more normal tone. "That's great." He moved Yugi from his lap and stood up, the teen followed. "But unfortunately I have to be going now." Yami hadn't realized how late it had gotten.

"Oh, really?" Yugi pouted a little but then smiled again. "Why don't you stay for dinner?" Yami looked down at him surprised that the human wanted to spend time with him so soon, but he liked it that Yugi wanted him to stay.

"Because, Yami has other engagements." Yugi jumped and Yami pushed the human behind him protectively. "Did I interrupt something?" Came the smug voice.

Yami growled and clenched his hands into fists by his sides. "I'm well aware of my schedule, Bakura." The said Demon smirked knowing just how to piss the other off he crossed his arms over his chest and lent against the doorframe smugly.

"You know him?" Yugi asked looking around at Yami, very surprised at the stranger in his house and how he got in?

Yami just nodded and added. "Unfortunately I do."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ryou dashed into the room a little out of breath and stopped at Bakura's side. "For being so late."

"That's okay, Grandpa isn't home." Yugi said eyes still on Bakura, as it seemed that Yami and Bakura were staring at each other trying to work out what the other was doing in this place or who would drop dead first from the glare, then a wicked grin broke out on Bakura's lips and Yami rolled his eyes at him.

"Oh this is Yami." Yugi said. "He helped me out tonight."

"I'm Bakura." The said demon then turned to Ryou and just watched him amused as the human blushed a little and shifted on his feet under his stare.

"I have to go, good bye, Yugi." Yami said walking past Bakura and Ryou, who called out a good bye after him, Bakura snorted turning his head away and said nothing.

Yami gave one last kiss to Yugi's cheek this time and walked off into the night.

"I have to go as well… think about what I said?" Bakura mumbled his lips just inches from Ryou's.

"I will." Ryou mumbled and with that Bakura kissed him briefly, then walked out of the house to find his meal and go home.

* * *

Later that night Bakura closed his eyes for a minute as the cool night air blew against his face and whipped his hair around, the soft _whooshing_ sound of his black wings was the only thing that could be heard where he was. The sky was slightly clouded and covering most of the stars with patches over the half moon. The full moon would soon take its effects on everyone for the start of the mating season, could he have Ryou ready and willing by then to be his mate? He doubted he would, and he couldn't rely on Marik and Malik to help him out when the heat in his body would get to much for him, as the two would be engaged with each other for the few days of the full moon, and if Bakura approached them, he could be seriously hurt by both of them, he had learnt that the hard way.

Yes mating season was a pain in the ass and depressing at most.

In the passed Bakura had masked his dreaded heat scent very well, preventing any demon or human to come after him, attracted by his scent. However, in doing this, took a lot of his energy, leaving him exhausted and irritable, so he would lock himself up in his own room, place up barriers so no one could get to him and go into a hibernation for that week.

The mating season was a way for those who had mates, and whether the mated pair liked each other or not, the season would throw them into the heat of passion that they could not deny bringing with it offspring. The same-sex pairs would just indulge in the activity until it was over. Others who had no mate, well this was the opportunity to find the right ones to spend the rest of their lives together.

This mating season, Bakura planed on not going into hibernation, but taking Ryou to his bed for those few days. Bakura flew high above the homes and buildings so no mortal would see him by accident. Bakura had to wonder if Ryou would feel the sway of the moon? The demon grinned mischievously, if so then there would be no problem at all but to make the right offerings and seduce him. But time was running out.

The talk with Ryou went well, very well. Bakura explained everything to the human about the relationship he was in with Marik and Malik. Ryou had a better understanding of the relationship the three were currently in and mostly after a lot of questions; the time was also a bonding to get to know each other better, so it was progress, Ryou was with him and that's all that mattered. Soon the city was behind him a little as he located his house right away and landed at the front porch. Yami had chosen this house because of the privacy and high walled fences.

Bakura pushed open the door and walked through. "…I'm." He didn't get to finish as he picked up the faint scent of Marik's blood in the air.

Bakura's heart pounded in his chest as his eyes glowed crimson and his fangs lengthened. He rushed up the stairs and found the scent of blood had gotten stronger. Bakura stopped outside Marik's door and pushed it open almost driving the door through the wall, and what he was met with made him take a step backwards out of the door in shock, then shouted. "GET YOUR ASS UP HERE, HEALER!"

Marik lay on top of the bed, a bit of cloth was over his eyes and was soaked in blood as was the shirt, had Marik been attacked while he was out? But Malik lay at his side his head rested on Marik's shoulder and was also asleep. "Must you yell?!" Seto snapped as he pushed passed Bakura.

"What's going on?" Bakura demanded as he walked into the room behind the Healer.

"The spell that was cast on Ryou was done in Malik's bedroom, but somehow the powder changed over time." Seto pulled out a needle from his pocket and pulled off the protective plastic cover, Bakura growled and took a step backwards away from the tall demon.

"So it was meant to do this to Ryou?" Bakura growled, he would find out who it was and make them wish for death.

"No I think it was meant for Malik." Seto said.

"Ishizu." Bakura spat out the name, that woman was going to end up killing the only people he loved, for her own selfish gain.

"Marik and I were talking before the incident." Seto placed his hands into his pocket. "We think that the spell was meant for Malik, but he placed Ryou in his room unknowingly and the human just got caught up in our struggle by accident, Marik got the worst of it, the boy should be fine." Seto sighed, as it seemed that Bakura was fuming. "I told you once before Bakura, that humans do not make good mates."

"If I want your opinion Seto I'll ask for it." Bakura snapped at him eyes narrowed and they stared at each other for a long minute neither one of them looking away or backing down, Bakura was just as stubborn as Seto was.

Bakura was the first to talk again asking. "That's good and all, but what is wrong with Marik exactly?" Bakura walked around Seto keeping a good distance between them and stopped at the end of the bed. Bakura looked over Marik more closely, his insides trembled like jelly, only twice he had seen Marik out like this, the first time Marik was rendered blind for three days thanks to his father before the war, and the second time was when Marik broke his wing in four places in the battle to get Malik and Ryou back, they only succeeded in getting Malik back.

"He breathed it in." Seto stopped at Marik's side of the bed and lent over a little.

"Then what's wrong with Malik?" Bakura asked as he crawled onto the bed on all fours and towards the two sleeping blondes, he stopped, his right knee in between Marik's thighs and his left knees between Malik and Marik, Bakura reached over and brushed the hair out of Malik's eyes.

"Malik needed to be calmed down and I had to put a sleep hold on Marik so it would slow the damage down the spell was causing.." Seto said as he held up the needle at his eye level, he gave it a flick with his finger.

"I see that, but what is wrong with him?" Bakura asked as he removed the cloth from Marik's face for a closer look, the blood started to drip from the cloth onto the pillow next to Marik's head, so Bakura threw it into the bowl of water that sat on the nightstand that Seto was standing next to.

"The spell was a, two in one. The first stage was a Recollection, its basic but effective if you want all memories back for a short time of your past life, they wanted Malik to remember something." Seto wiped a small white piece of cloth over the inside of Marik's elbow. "The second was to change into something more fatal, this spell after time attacks all vital body parts makes them bleed out, deadly for humans." He pressed the needle into Marik's arm.

"And that?" Bakura growled eyes narrowed at the needle filled a with thick blue substance, he hated the modern medicines in a way, they helped a lot but he had seen to many of the outer world species get addicted to that pointy thing.

"Something I whipped up, this has to enter the blood stream in order to counter it." Seto said calmly as he pulled out the needle now that it was empty. "He'll be out of it for a few days." Seto stood up his face blank of any emotions as always.

"What do you mean?" Bakura looked back at Marik.

Seto stopped in the doorway and looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowed in irritation of having to explain everything. "His powers will be greatly suppressed, he won't be able to protect himself should he be attacked by something." Seto said simply and left, but he called back. "Malik will wake up the same time as Marik!"

Bakura looked down at the said demons and sighed. "I go out for a few hours and you two get yourselves into trouble." He wasn't expecting an answer; he got up and locked the bedroom door. Bakura pulled off his shoes as he passed the bed and took off his jacket and shirt and just dropped them on the floor, he locked the windows and closed the curtains, turning back to the bed he took off his jeans and stepped out of them, then crawled onto the bed, he pulled off Malik's shoes, jeans and shirt then did the same to Marik.

Bakura glanced around the room one last time to make sure everything was okay for him to sleep. He grabbed the blanket at the end of the bed and covered them over, resting his head on Marik's shoulder and let sleep take him.

* * *

Ryou sighed as he walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to see Yugi and his grandpa cooking. "Here you go." The old man held out a mug of hot chocolate to Ryou, who nodded in thanks and took it, taking a seat on the stool Ryou's hands wrapped around the mug warming them up.

"I hope your hungry?" Yugi said with a grin from the stove, the aroma was mouth-watering and made Ryou's stomach growl telling him just how much it wanted that food.

"Starved." Ryou placed a hand on his stomach with a grin.

"Good." Grandpa said as he started to fill up the plates with the food, Yugi dashed about setting the table, Ryou offered to help but they both wouldn't hear of it.

Soon they all sat down to eat when Yugi's Grandpa spoke up. "Someone called around today." Ryou paused his hand; food on his fork and almost touching his lips, he glanced up slowly. "Your father."

"Oh?" Ryou frowned and his hand started to shake a little, he quickly placed the fork into his month.

"He was looking for you." The old man said with a frown as he carefully watched the teen.

Ryou finished his mouthful as he swept his eyes over the old man for visible injuries, knowing that his father wouldn't have taken Ryou's unknown whereabouts to kindly. Maybe he should just go home and face his father instead of running like a coward that he knew he was, Ryou shook his head of that thought, and mumbled sarcastically. "I'm surprised he even knows that I exist, let alone where I am." Ryou then filled his fork again with the last of the food and placed it into his mouth.

"But that's not what I want to talk to you about." The old man said, lacing his fingers together, his elbows on the table as he lent slightly forward over his plate. "I spoke to someone about seeing if we could find a way to get you out of that, place." Ryou pushed his plate to the left a little and sat back to listen; Yugi lent forward placing his hands in his lap.

"Let me guess the out come of that conversation?" Ryou sighed feeling suddenly tired.

"I'm sorry, Ryou. But until you turn eighteen your father has legal rights." The old mans tone held so much sympathy that Ryou had to look away biting his lip. "And if I were to fight it, it would cost so much money... only to have your father win in the end."

"Hey, it's not like it's really your fault or your responsibility on what happens to me." Ryou placed his chin on his palm, he mumbled under his breath. "And it's not like I'm really worth it."

"But I do care what happens to you!" The old man slammed his hand down on the table making Yugi and Ryou jump in their seats, so suddenly the old man seemed to have a new spark of life in him as he added. "But you can stay here on the weekends and holidays, there's nothing saying you can't do that." He lent over and touched Ryou on the arm; the teen looked up meeting his gaze. "You'll always be welcome and you can keep the room we have given you."

"Thanks." Ryou gave them both a smile; they all knew that this wouldn't last forever, so while the going was good Ryou would ride it out all the way. "For everything."

Yugi grinned standing up. "Hey! We're family, right?" Ryou smiled as Yugi's Grandpa laughed at him and said. "That's right my boy, and this is your home so don't forget it." The old man put rather sternly. "I don't want a repeat of last time."

"I won't." Ryou nodded remembering when Yugi had found him sleeping in the park one morning, wet from the rain and bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, and not to mention the bruises Ryou carried on his body. The small teen had dragged a very reluctant Ryou back to the Game Shop, Yugi telling his Grandpa everything.

Ryou had been overly embarrassed at that time and tried to explain but words failed him, but after a hot shower, some food and sleep, Ryou was able to tell Yugi and his Grandpa what had happened. So from that day, Ryou found himself with a second home and an old man who insisted Ryou call him Grandpa.

"Alright, boy's time to clean up." Grandpa said as he grunted standing up, he gathered up the plates. The three got started on cleaning up the kitchen.

A while later Ryou stepped into the bath filled with bubbles and warm water, so warm in fact that his skin tingled and his wounds that were yet to heal burned. "What a day!" He lent back against the tub and the water rushed up to his chin. He picked up the washcloth and dipped into the water and placed it over his eyes and sunk down a little more relaxing.

At least nothing had changed he still had a place to go and get away from his father if he wasn't at school. Ryou couldn't wait to be old enough and move out, get his very own place to live in and have Bakura stay over. Ryou sat up pulling the washcloth from his face. He touched his lips when Bakura had kissed him after their talk it was like a spark of electricity had shot right through his body and felt that he rightfully belonged in Bakura's arms and could have stayed there all night.

But the relationship would be awkward at best, Bakura had reassured him that Marik just needed time and he would come round and that Marik was the most warmest of people he knew. Ryou doubted that and wondered what someone like Malik was doing with someone like Marik, their personalities would clash all the time, right? Ryou shook his head, he would know everything in time, he hoped anyway, and it was much better to do then to be thinking.

Ryou finished up in the bathroom dressed in his black boxers and blue t-shirt, he headed downstairs into the living room. Yugi was curled up next to his grandpa watching t.v. The old man looked up at him and patted a spot next him, Ryou smiled and walked over taking the seat but wasn't as close to the old man as Yugi was.

"_Last night three people were found dead in this very alleyway." _This got Ryou's attention and recognized the alleyway that Bakura and himself where in. He watched more closely hoping to find out more, the t.v flashed as they showed the pictures of the three men, and Ryou did in deed recognized them as his attackers. _"The men were drained of their blood. The police are baffled to why the attackers would do such a thing, some of the cult groups in the area are being interrogated for information." _Yugi's Grandpa turned the channel.

"What's the world coming to?" He mumbled to himself.

'_I left_ _Bakura in that alleyway, did he kill them? Or knows who did?'_ Yugi brought Ryou out of his thoughts as he stood up and stretched.

"Well I'm off to bed, good night Grandpa, Ryou!" Yugi gave them a wave; Ryou got up and followed him saying good night as well.

* * *

The next morning Bakura sat down on the couch taking a sip of his hot tea; Marik had woken up at some point through the night a very small conversation on how he was feeling and then Marik had fallen asleep again and was still asleep now with Malik watching over him. "I can heal your shoulder for you." Seto said and was about to place his hand on the rather large bruise on Bakura's left bare shoulder, a left over from the conversation.

"Touch it and you'll be a wingless, one eyed Demon." Bakura hissed at him glancing up his eyes glowed red, his shoulder wasn't causing him any pain, in fact Bakura liked the reminder that Marik had made it, though he hadn't meant too, but when your tied down, injuries can't be avoided all the time.

Seto moved away with a shrug of his shoulder knowingly. "Whatever." He took a seat and opened his book and started to read.

"Bakura?!" Yami burst in through the door with a newspaper clutched in his hand, Bakura casually looked up at him.

"What?!"

"Look at what's in the paper today!" Yami threw it at him, Bakura spilt some of the hot liquid onto his bare chest, he gasped out wiping it away with his hand instantly then placed his cup down and picked up the paper after giving Yami a scowling look, his eyes scanned the front page.

"So." Bakura dropped it onto the coffee table after a few seconds. "People die all the time."

Yami growled as he then turned on the t.v where a female reporter went on about three men drained of their blood and how suspicious it was. "What were you thinking?" Yami immediately turned to Bakura.

"How is this my fault?" Bakura seethed standing up; the two of them had never got along at all.

"You were in that alleyway I saw you walk out of it."

"What's it to you Yami?" Bakura was getting angry. No! He was pissed, if anything went wrong around here Yami instantly blamed him for it! "They got what they disserved in the end." Bakura walked to the door.

"No wonder that Ishizu was so pissed at us, she must have found them, and now you have jeopardized the situation. We can't let an incident happen like in..." Yami paused he couldn't think of the name of the town he wanted, he growled in frustration.

"It happens in every town, you're over reacting." Bakura rolled his eyes.

"Over reacting, am I?" Yami seethed stalking up to Bakura with his eyes narrowed. "If I recall it, I was the one that they chased all over town with their pitchforks and flame torches IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FUCKING NIGHT!" Yami yelled at him. "While you and Marik where off doing who knows what?" Seto placed his book down and got comfortable where he was, this should be very interesting to watch indeed.

Bakura couldn't help himself by correcting Yami in his mistake. "Malik."

"What?" Yami's voice lowered considerably.

"Not doing who knows what, we were doing Malik." Bakura's grin got wider as Yami slapped a hand to his forehead and growled in frustration.

"And if I recall it Yami." Bakura poked him in the chest with his finger. "You're the one that fucked the governors daughters… all five of them at once!"

A small laugh came from Seto who was sitting in the back of the room. "I tip my hat off to you Yami on that one, damn, five."

"It was three." Yami turned to him. "Stay out of this." He hissed at the Healer of the group. "This is going off topic." Yami gave Bakura a small shove.

"If I did do this, then they would have found body parts all over town."

"I don't care Bakura, if we are found out by the humans we have to move, again! We are running out of place to hide… the world grows smaller and smaller every century." Yami said lowly.

"No Yami, you're just pissed because most of your houses have been burnt to the ground, because you can't keep your hands off someone's son or daughters. It's you that has us running for our lives after your romp in the hay." Bakura shoved Yami harder this time. "So if you keep it in your pants we will be able to stay longer in town."

"Not all of us, Bakura, have two fuckable energizer freaks at our beckon call."

"And if I hadn't dropped Ryou at his home when I did, you would have been humping that human." Bakura said as he pushed past Yami heading to the door, he had had enough of this stupid pointless fighting.

Yami was just to pissed off to let Bakura walk out and lunged at him pinning him face first to the closed door, both were growling at each other like savage dogs. "Fuck off, Yami!" Bakura hissed at him pushing off the door and turned around punching Yami across the jaw, Yami stumbled backwards holding his jaw but it was short lived as he came back at him again and forced Bakura back to the door with a punch of his own.

"Your problem is that you are to reckless and don't think out your actions before you do them." Yami punched Bakura in the jaw, and the fight broke out, wings spread out, teeth bared, eyes glowing and claws out as they fought with each other, black feathers filled the air and claws cutting away flesh.

"What's going…?" Marik stopped as he entered the living room and gasped, as he saw Yami deliver a good slash across Bakura's chest, Marik rushed over and grabbed Yami under the arm and around the neck and pulled him off Bakura before he could get another punch in. "What the hell?!" Marik yelled out, Malik helped Bakura get to his feet. "What is going on?" Marik growled at Yami not happy that he was fighting with Bakura _again,_ this happened every week or every few days, and it was driving him mad. "Answer me damn it?" Marik growled deep in his throat.

"And why didn't you help to stop it?" Malik asked angrily at Seto who pouted a little at the fun that had been stopped and shrugged a shoulder.

"Why? I had ten bucks riding on the tall white one. But the short one is fiery." He was smirking. "You know how hard it is for me to be entertained, and then you come in and stop it before it got really good." He crossed his arm over his chest.

"Get bent!" Bakura hissed at him.

"He killed three people." Yami straightened himself up. Marik looked at Bakura with a raised eyebrow, this wasn't like Bakura he hadn't killed anyone in a while, not in the last eighty years anyway or that Marik knew of anyway.

"Well did anyone see you?" Marik asked with a trace of annoyance in his voice, the tone of voice was for Yami, who knew if Bakura was getting into trouble then the Demon Lord would get off Bakura's back and leave him alone.

"Just one." Bakura said as if it didn't matter.

"Just one, and what did you do with this just one?" Marik asked arms crossed over his bare chest.

"I let him go." Bakura stated as if it was nothing important.

"You idiot!" Yami lunged at him pinning him to the wall again. "With your stupidity, you are going to get us all killed." Yami seethed at him, Seto sat forward he was enjoying this so much and it happened so often, live fights especially with Yami and Bakura were much better then anything he knew of.

Marik growled and pulled Yami off, throwing him across the room the smaller demon landed hard against the wall his left black wing smashing a window and the glass pieces fell onto the carpet around him. "Watch yourself Yami! You maybe our lord but I won't let you take it out on him, even if he's done something… wrong" Marik said in a voice, that would have the most disobedient listening to him. "I want answers, Bakura, now?" Marik turned and looked at him. "What did you do with this, one?"

Bakura grumbled under his breath, Malik still held on to him, his arms wrapped around Bakura's waist. "It was Ryou in that alleyway, Okay." Bakura glared at him as he added. "He got attacked so I helped out." Marik took a step back, his eyes widened a little at Bakura's words. Malik let go as Bakura slumped in an armchair that was next to him. "He didn't see anything, but me, not in my demon form. I didn't know it was him at first, but I did let him go and I didn't kill them. I took a few mouthfuls from each of them and left them unconscious like always. But I wasn't going to leave Ryou there."

"Then if you didn't kill them then who did?" Yami dusted himself off and gave a annoyed look to all the glass fragments in his carpet that he would have to get out now. He was calming down a bit, knowing that they weren't going to be found out by a human anytime soon.

"Oh! So now you believe me?" Bakura threw his hands up in the air then glaring at Yami, Malik stood right in front of him with his hands on his hips and biting his lip giving Bakura a worried look. "I don't know who killed them, I didn't hang around for a conversation. I fed and went to follow Ryou, but I got attacked if you remember." With that Bakura lent over and grabbed his cup of hot tea and walked to the door, Malik followed him.

"But Ryou was okay, nothing happened to him that I should know about?" Marik asked concern laced his voice as he uncrossed his arms and took a step forward. The human seemed fine that night, but what if they had done more to him than what Bakura was letting on? Marik shook his head; Malik stopped feeling the worry coming from his mate. Bakura stopped just before the door and turned looking over his shoulder at him. "I don't care." Marik called out. "I'm just interested in what happened, that's all." He crossed his arms over his chest and looked away in a scold.

"You should go ask him yourself then." Bakura smiled then left the room.

"Well at least we know now what he was up to." Malik said watching Bakura's back, Marik's right eye twitched in irritation, Malik walked out after Bakura and a few minutes later Marik followed them.

"Wait we have a meeting to get to!" Yami hollered and ran after them.

* * *

**TBC  
**

**R&R **(love and cookies)


	11. Chapter 11

I am really trying to keep most parts in this from the House of Motou, but there will be a few chaps that will be all new, but I can keep the ending, but I'll fill you in when we get to that point, read on!

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Warning**: M and Yaoi.

**Chap 11**

* * *

Later that night Bakura, Marik, Seto and Malik knelt down on a stone floor in a great hall in front of a throne that Yami sat on. On either side of Yami's throne was two of the council members dressed in cloaks and had the hoods up hiding their faces, like always.

Every demon came here at least once a year before mating season, they all had been weighed, measured, names and ages taken along with who their mates were and as always Bakura would growl and be in an irate mood all day.

The castle had been rebuilt after it was destroyed in the war years ago. "My lord we are here on two matters." The demon said on Yami's left a female voice rang out over the room. "The first matter is the witch problem … we need to know of their plans and if we are heading into another war."

"I have someone on the inside as we speak and she reports to me every week, move on." Yami commanded, he had arranged a date with Yugi for in the morning and didn't want to keep him waiting.

"The second is that of Bakura." The three looked at him then at Yami.

"What about me?" Bakura growled standing up, followed by the other three.

"Bakura lets see what she has to say." Yami said in low tone the one on his right had yet to speak.

"Bakura has no mate for himself and hasn't had one in the last three hundred years." The demons looked at him, Marik's eyebrow shot up, had it been that long since Ryou's death? No wonder Bakura was feeling lonely and wanted a mate for himself.

"I do have one." Bakura winked at Malik, who blushed a little and smirked shaking his head at what had been said.

"You can not share, and it seems that you my Lord and Seto don't have one for yourselves." She said.

Yami sighed. "Well I have one he just doesn't know yet." Yami smirked then looked at the demon in front of him. "Bakura?"

"My private life has nothing to do with any of you." Bakura seethed at the council and Yami. "Since I'm not interested in taking a female as a mate and having offspring. I don't need to report to you on who I take to my bed." He huffed crossing his arms over his chest. "I already do the other crap you insist on."

"Then what will you do when the mating season starts?" Asked the male on Yami's right.

"I do what I must until it's over." Bakura growled his black wings ruffled slightly on his back in his irritation.

"Bakura!" Marik shook his head at him disbelieving what he had said.

Malik spoke up. "Bakura has a mate in mind, it's just the fact of getting the chosen one to trust him." Bakura growled and looked away to the small pane glass windows on his right.

"Trust?! Demons do not need to trust when going to mate." She said then took a step forward and asked. "What kind of mate have you chosen, Bakura?"

"A human." Malik called out rather to enthusiastically before anyone else and getting an angry look from Bakura, Malik recoiled a little and whispered "Sorry." Bakura shook his head and looked away again.

"Again with the humans, Bakura! I thought that you might have learnt your lesson the last time you picked a human? You should pick something more stronger like a demon to be your mate." There was a mocking tone in her voice, and Bakura didn't care for it one bit.

Bakura snapped back angrily. "I'll pick who I damn well please! I don't need you telling me who I should spend my life with." Bakura turned on his heels and started to walk towards the large double doors. "I've had enough of this bullshit! I'm leaving!"

"My Lord?!" The two council members called out, wanting to stop Bakura. Yami waved a hand at them. "Leave him, move on." He ordered again, he knew this was always hard on Bakura; the two were disappointed and angry not having the control in the room to do as they please.

"Seto, what are you doing about…" They didn't get to finish as the said Demon cut in.

"I don't have time for this mating crap." Seto scolded them his icy glare made the two council members take a step back into their place. "You can save it for the sentimental idiots who are insecure and need someone, I'm not such a demon. I don't need any one!" it was at that point that an argument broke out, Marik and Malik turned and left them to it.

* * *

**Joey's P.O.V**

I hung the last of the missing person poster on a street lamp and sighed heavily as a black and white photo of my younger sister smiled back at me. I miss her so much; the phone number is the largest thing in big black bold letters besides the Missing word. She had gone missing a few years ago. She was playing in the park with friends and also waiting for me. I was late that day and the park was empty and she was gone.

The first few days where okay but as the days turned into weeks my mom and dad started to fight and then the months rolled by and they played, who to blame. One saying that she was too young to be out on her own. The other saying that I should have been there on time, and so on.

Now I spend my life alone, rich parents who buy you what you need to survive and a stack of cash to keep you out of the way. Holidays from the start of the year to the end I spend alone, from buying gifts for myself and my friends. I guess that's what you get for losing a sibling. So every weekend I spend one whole day hanging out posters hoping someone will know her or where she is so she can come home and maybe I can go home to, it's a lonely world when it consists of only one.

My stomach growls, man I'm hungry; I hope Yug's got something to eat! Another person in my life that doesn't really know what's going in my more private life, but seriously I don't think he would really care. Yugi and his Grandpa have their hands full with Ryou. I'm not bitter about it I'm glad for Ryou really; I know what he goes through.

But this sleep over thing Yugi has going is okay, but it's his way of getting together to show that he cares about all his friends no matter what. I shove the tape into my pocket along with my hands and walk over to the lights to cross the street. How much longer? I look at the lights. I tap my foot, but the strangest thing that's happened so far is Honda, the guy is acting like a loon over Ryou, who is and I know for a fact dating the new guy Malik and it's driving Honda nuts because he didn't speak up first. I say go for it Ryou whatever makes you happy.

BINGO! It's green, I walk across the road minding my own business and step up onto the sidewalk when I get rammed into and land hard on the cement path on my butt of all places. "Hey watch what your doing!" I get up and rubbing my rear end.

"Well if you were watching where you were going you would have seen me." The guy says in a smug tone and watches me for a few seconds. "So who let you off the leash, I didn't know they let strays wander around this part of town."

"I'm not a dog, you stuffed shirt know it all." This guys just asking for it, he has a hide to talk to me like that.

"At least I'm not wandering around running into people." He narrows his eyes at me, everyone is just walking by as if we aren't even here.

"I'm not wandering around and it's none of your business." I cross my arms over my chest, this guy has hit every nerve that I have in the first few minutes and I'm at breaking point.

"I don't have time to talk to mutts like you I'm a busy man." He pushes past me. "Go play fetch or something."

I grab his arm and realize just how tall he was, I thought I was tall but I had to look up at him. "Hey don't you have any manners?" I growl with my fists clenched at his black long sleeve top, if I wasn't so pissed off I would have thought he was gorgeous in a cold kinda way, but aren't all good looking people cold? Well all the ones I know are, like this guy for instance. Yeah I know guys like him.

"Yeah I do but I don't waste them on pathetic mutts like you." He pulls away and walks off. I turn on my heels and leave. I'm so pissed and I mumble under my breath. "Stupid, smug, son of a… I'm a mutt?! What an… just wait until I see him again!" I head off to the game shop maybe Yugi can put me in a better mood.

* * *

**Seto's P.O.V**

I look over the list of things I need, who knows when those witches will come again or when those idiots Malik, Bakura and Marik will get hurt again and need me.

I also like to be prepared not anyone can get the better of me. Yami and the council have been on my case all day about the plan that I had come up with. "It's to dangerous." They say and I roll my eyes. All I wanted was to plant a deadly virus in the heart of the largest gathering of witches that takes place every year, which would land on the same time as our mating season and kill them all. Now does that sound dangerous to you? I didn't think so… but there is, like what? An eighty percent chance out of a hundred that the human race could also be affected by this virus and be wiped out as well.

I like those odds don't you? It puts me in a highly good mood just thinking about it and hey what's to say that the Demon race can't run this place? Sure the humans that survive will be nothing but slaves, but it's not like they really know what goes on when the lights go out.

So really it should be them groveling at our feet for protection rather than us in hiding. I bump into someone, okay no one bumps into me and lives. "Hey watch what your doing!" He's on the floor, oh we have a wise punk here and they pop out every now and then. Did I just say pop? They come out every so often shooting off their mouths like they are the superior race. You humans lack to see that you're on the bottom of the food chain and I know just how to handle it.

"Well if you were watching where you were going you would have seen me." I say in my usual way, then smirked I could have some fun since Marik stopped the fight. Taking in his shabby appearance I make an observational comment about him. "So who let you off the leash? I didn't know they let strays wander around the town"

"I'm not a dog, you stuffed shirt know it all!" Oh I think I just hit a soft spot yay me.

Stuffed shirt, okay I can take that. "At least I'm not wandering around running into people." Was he angry with me? He sure sounded like he was; I narrow my eyes at him, wondering how far I can push this guy.

"I'm not wandering around and it's none of your business!" He crosses his arms over his chest he looks really angry at this point, I take a better look at him he's not bad looking for a street punk WHAT? Did I just say that?

"I don't have time to talk to mutts like you I'm a busy man." I push past. "Go play fetch or something." Time to go when you think things like that about humans.

To my surprise he grabbed my arm he was kind of short. "Hey don't you have any manners?" And for the first time I noticed that he is really beautiful, fair skin and light honey brown eyes that just shone anger at me and blonde hair, kissable soft lips, I wander what he would sound like under me, tied up or even on his knees and… I shook my head to clear it, oh right I needed a come back.

"Yeah I do but I don't waste them on mutts like you." I pull away, dammed mating season making me think of such thoughts, I have work to contend with at home. I don't have time for this crap and if I was going to even think on taking a mate it wouldn't be a lowly human.

* * *

Saturday night Ryou had been bored for most of the day and decided to indulge himself in cooking after dinner, not something that he went out of his way for, but found it on the more something to do and besides he was good at it. The doorbell rang a few times and when Ryou thought no one was going to answer it Yugi dashed passed the kitchen doorway and opened the front door.

"Come in guys!" Yugi said, Ryou frowned and lent to his right and slightly over the counter to see who was at the door. But within seconds Joey, Anzu and Honda walked into the kitchen with Yugi behind them. "Oh Ryou the guys came over to watch movies tonight." Yugi moved about Ryou, pulling out glasses and getting everyone a drink. "We are crashing in the living room all together for the night." Yugi said standing next to him.

"It sounds fun." Ryou said even though he thought sleeps over parties were on the little kid thing to do, he looked down at the bowl of mix.

"So are ya cooking for us, Ryou?" Joey asked leaning on the counter looking into the large bowl of cookie mix.

"Well, I guess it could be." Ryou mumbled but then smacked Joey on the back of the hand stopping him from dipping his fingers into the mix.

"You've always been a great cook, Ryou." Honda tried to flatter him.

Ryou just raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him and said. "Thanks."

"Can I help you?" Anzu asked with a smile, the two set about placing the cookies onto a tray and placed it into the oven.

"I'll pick out the movies!" Joey called out and ran for the living room, followed by Anzu and Yugi.

Ryou set about cleaning up the mess. The only reason Yugi was having this sleep over was because grandpa was out for the night and wouldn't be back until late afternoon tomorrow, oh he knew about the little party. "Ryou?!" Honda moved around the counter and stood beside Ryou, who made himself busy with cleaning by wiping the washcloth over the counter pretending not to hear him. "Ryou?!" Honda took his hand, and Ryou stepped away from him but couldn't pull his hand free. "I'm sorry about the other day."

"You should have been sorry before you treated me like that." Ryou tried again in pulling his hand free, but ended up being pulled closer, stumbling a little falling against him. Honda wrapped an arm around him as Ryou pushed against him to get away. "Let me make it up to you." Honda purred in his ear and Ryou let out a disgusted sound from the back of this throat.

"What one do you want to watch first?" Yugi walked into the room, Ryou looked at him as Honda coolly stepped away from him as if nothing had happened between them.

"Let me have a look?" Honda said taking a few movies from Yugi's hand. "How about this one." Ryou glanced up and saw the horror movie in Honda's hand, great just what he needed he blood thirsty vampire movie.

"Alright." Yugi walked back into the living room and this time Honda followed him leaving Ryou alone in the kitchen.

Ryou bit his lip and had a dreaded feeling in the pit of his stomach and felt that he should give Bakura a call to come and get him so he could stay with him for the night.

Ryou sighed the last thing that he wanted to be was a burden on Bakura. Ryou walked into the living room to watch the movies that had been picked out.

It was half way through the third movie; Anzu had fallen asleep on the couch wrapped up in blankets. Jou was asleep in the armchair with his feet up on the coffee table lightly snoring. Yugi was fighting a losing battle to stay awake to watch the ending of the movie. Honda was lent back against the couch and asleep as well.

Ryou yawned and got up from his spot on the floor throwing off the blankets and walking out wearing only boxers and a t-shirt. He shivered slightly in the chilled night air walking into the kitchen he turned on the small light above the stove and went to the sink and filled a glass with water and drank it down. He placed the glass on the side of the sink and stopped for a minute and watched as the rain hit the window.

Ryou smiled softly glad to be in a warm dry kitchen on such a miserable night, suddenly there was a face next to his own reflection in the window. Ryou turned around with a gasp as he was met almost face to face with Honda. The teen smirked as Ryou backed up a little, thinking that Honda had been asleep in the living room; he was when Ryou walked out anyway. "Sorry didn't see you." Ryou mumbled and went to walk around him but Honda blocked him by placing his arm against the fridge, Ryou's eyes widened at the arm blocking him then looked up at Honda and frowned taking a step backwards.

"I said I wanted to make it up to you." Honda took a step forward and Ryou backed up even more only stopping when his lower back hit the sink.

"I don't want you to." Ryou hissed. "I'm happy being friends and that's it."

"I think you don't know what you want." Honda moved in closer, Ryou couldn't back up anymore and there was no escape, he spotted the back door behind Honda and he could call for Yugi and then everyone would be in here in a matter of seconds, but why was he panicking already? Could it have been the look in the others eyes or the fact that Honda decided to wait until he was on his own in the middle of the night to confront him, Ryou didn't know which and all of it scared him.

Ryou growled out but still keeping his voice low. "I want you to leave me alone, Honda." He gasped as Honda grabbed his left wrist tightly and pressed himself against him.

"You should have gone out with me." Honda whispered in Ryou's ear as his free hand moved down his side, Ryou grabbed at his hand to stop it and get it away from him and failed.

Ryou spoke up again saying anything to get Honda to leave him alone. "I have Bakura, why would I want someone like you?" Honda backhanded him with his free hand that had been on Ryou's side, the sound of the slap echoed in the room sending him stumbling against the counter on his left. Ryou panted for breath a few times trying to will away the pain in his cheek and lip that was now split and bleeding slightly.

When Ryou fell against the counter his free hand fell onto a butter knife that had been left out. Honda turned him around and pushed him against that counter, the knife now sat behind Ryou's back and he clutched it in his hand. Ryou's left wrist still held in a bruising force. "I'm all that will take you for who you are and think more of you then just a piece of ass to be had." He grabbed Ryou by the back of his head tugging on his hair almost painfully focusing his head back.

"You should get used to this." Honda tugged roughly at his t-shirt to move it out of the way and placed his hand above Ryou's hip then travelled downward. He knew where the hand was going and Ryou panicked.

"I'll scream!" Ryou hissed out Honda's hand stopped just over his hip and he smirked.

"Go ahead, I told Yugi we are going out." His smirk widened so confidently. "I'll just tell them that we were playing about and you made to much noise." Ryou tensed up and felt sick as he felt the hard lump in Honda's pants move against his thigh and the hand started to move down again sliding under his waistband of his boxers. "He'll believe me more over you." Ryou twisted his body as much as the counter would let him do to get away from the wandering hand.

Ryou choked back a sob as a hand wound around his length squeezed and started to pump him slowly. Ryou knew Honda was smirking in his triumph in over powering him like this and he couldn't look at the other and scrunched his eyes shut. "You really should enjoy this." Ryou's head was then jerked and pulled forward by the hand that was still tangled in his hair and Honda kissed him with almost bruising force. The open split on his lip stung and he whimpered and that's all Honda needed he pressed his tongue in.

Ryou fought the urge to throw up as his stomach churned he wouldn't let this happen as everything else in his life had gone so badly for him. And the one thing that Ryou had any control or any say over, well he wasn't going to let it be taken from him so easily. Ryou swung his hand out with the butter knife and cut Honda across the cheek, the teen cried out letting him go stumbling away from holding his cheek.

Ryou took this opportunity and dashed for the back door, Honda moved forward and slammed Ryou into it front first and the teen cried out then he was turned around to face Honda.

Honda glanced at his hand and saw the blood, he looked at Ryou he was furious now and narrowed his eyes, a thin red line of blood slowly ran down his right cheek. Ryou was shocked at his own actions, had he really done that? "I was going to go easy on you but now I think I'll make you suffer."

"You're insane!" Ryou blurted out as he jerked the knife at him to emphasize his point, Honda's intentions were painfully clear and Ryou needed a way out to save himself, even if it meant hurting another person.

"I know what you're thinking." Honda moved in blocking Ryou's view of the room with his body. "I think I'll call Yugi in here and he'll see what you did to me and he'll kick you out into the street." Honda chuckled.

"No!" Ryou gasped out and paled even more, the knifepoint shook in his hand just inches from Honda's body.

"Oh we all know about your abusive father." Honda made a grab for Ryou again; his hand went right for his boxers and gripped them moving them down a little, Ryou let out a sob as Honda shoved his knee between Ryou's thighs to part them.

"What's going on?!" Came Joey's voice, Honda turned his head and that's when Ryou swiftly brought up his knee connecting with Honda's hardened package, the teen cried out and Ryou pushed him to the floor.

"Ryou what's gotten into you?!" Yugi asked from behind Joey a little shocked at what was happing.

"He attacked me!" Honda gasped out from the floor, Ryou to hurt and embarrassed dropped the butter knife, turned and opened the door then fled out into the rainy night.

Ryou ran blinded by his own tears down the street not even stopping or saying anything as he ran into a few people still out in the street at this time of time, he kept going. He wanted to run away from the vile hand that he could still feel burning his skin and the horrid taste in his mouth, he wanted to run away from his life that dealt him nothing but pain and problems, he had never felt so dirty in his life.

Suddenly he ran into someone hard, the other didn't budge and strong arms wrapped around him preventing him from falling backwards or stumbling. Ryou struggled to get out of them thinking Honda had caught up to him somehow. The teen looked up and saw the last person he thought he would run into. "Marik?!" Ryou's voice was laced with tears and fright as he shook his head, throwing his wet hair into his eyes and face by the movement, not knowing what to do or think. A small little voice made itself known in Marik's head.

'_I cannot love you.' _

The only sound that could be heard was the rain hitting the sidewalk and the small little awnings from the shops. Ryou clutched at the front of Marik's black leather jacket like a lifeline. Neither of them saying anything as they stared at each other, did Marik care? Would he care? Oh god Ryou hoped he cared.

Marik's power had returned sooner than what anyone had thought and been out to feed to help his powers fully recover. When he had seen the human running and for a split second thought it had been Bakura, but he wouldn't have been crying like this.

'_Because you are already dead to me.'_

Marik just stared at him a concerned frown on his face, his heart pounded in his chest the first time holding the human in such a situation and all his body could tell him was how right it felt, but his mind was saying everything but.

'_I do not care about you.' _

And before Marik could say anything tears filled Ryou's eyes even more and he started to sob brokenly into his chest. So Marik stood there placing his hand on the back of Ryou's head and held him more tightly in his arms and to his body as the rain fell around them. His lost and hurt little human cried in his arms for that little bit of comfort Marik unknowingly offered him.

'_You can't love me for I have killed you.' _

* * *

**TBC **

So at this point you guys as the readers **R&R** me and as a door-prize you get another chap.


	12. Chapter 12

Nothing to say here, but enjoy my readers.

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Warning**: M and Yaoi.

**Chap 12 **

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The rain still fell around them and Ryou had stopped crying after a while and was now shivering, Marik pulled back gaining a little distance between them and lifted Ryou's chin up gently and frowned at seeing the split lip and the bruise on his cheek. Marik had smelt the blood and he recognized it; Ryou closed his eyes shamefully and looked away. Marik still had his one hand cradling the back of Ryou's head and his other arm wrapped around the others waist, the human had both arms wrapped around Marik's chest.

A light from a passing car washed over them only to throw them into darkness again almost instantly. Marik watched him for a minute thinking on what to do, should he just walk away and let Bakura and Malik handle this? Or should he just walk away and not say anything at all, just leave him here? What should he do? The human was making him nervous.

'_You being around him will only get him killed.'_ That overly annoying voice hissed in Marik's head. _'Leave him before you kill him again.'_

'_It was an accident.' _Marik snapped back, hoping to shut up the voice so he could think clearly. Ryou rested his head on Marik's chest.

'_Sure, Demon, you keep telling yourself it was an accident.'_ Marik tightened his hold on Ryou.

'_I love him, I do.'_ The voice in his head just laughed coldly. _'If you call running your own sword through the human's chest, love. I would like to see what you do to those you hate.' _

Marik growled. _'I'm not leaving him here, so shut up!'_ The voice went silent on him then the Demon spoke up. "Come on." Marik let him go, Ryou wrapped his arms around himself. Marik held out a hand for him to take and said. "Before we both drown here in the street." Ryou gave a laugh despite how awful he felt inside and took Marik's offered hand and they walked together down the street.

Before Ryou knew it he was walking through the doors of the mansion and led upstairs. He had thought that Marik might have taken him home back to the Game shop. In truth Ryou didn't think that he could face Yugi, Joey and especially Honda tonight, he just didn't think he had it in him.

Ryou stopped just inside the door of Marik's bedroom and watched as he walked about the room. Ryou blushed and looked away as Marik threw pieces of clothing off his body, his shirt and pants and redressed himself as he walked about the room. If he hadn't of ran into Marik tonight, Ryou would have found a place to sleep for the night in the park or the street as long as it was dry and he didn't have to go home. Ryou frowned maybe he should just call in for a few minutes to see if his father is still alive.

Ryou jumped as Marik was now standing in front him frowning slightly at him, a towel around his shoulders holding clothes in his hands. Marik's heart had been pounding so hard since he had stopped Ryou in the street, he said. "Take a shower as long as you like and when you're ready come down stairs into the kitchen and I'll make a hot drink for you." Marik handed over the clothes and Ryou took them, Marik added. "Just leave what you have on in the tub, they can be fixed up in the morning." Ryou nodded his head and still looked a little lost, Marik said. "You will be sleeping in Bakura's room tonight." He then walked out of the room.

Marik closed the door, standing in the hallway, something had happened to the human tonight and it was obvious that someone had hit Ryou. Marik growled that someone was going to pay; maybe not by his own hands but by Bakura's, that Demon has always had a small case of possessiveness in him.

Marik scolded himself, why was it when that human was around he would think such things and feel the need to protect him? He had thought after that day he had purged himself of any feelings towards the human he had. It was hard not to fall again for something that looks, feels and smells the same; truly this situation could do his head in.

Marik walked into the kitchen turning on the lights and set about making the drinks. Marik had timed it perfectly as Ryou walked into the kitchen; he had just finished making the drinks. Ryou was dressed in Malik's long black pants and Bakura's white t-shirt.

Marik picked up the two mugs and walked towards Ryou, who shifted on his feet looking nervous. "Here, we'll go into the living room." Ryou took the mug from Marik with a _thank you_ and followed him.

Marik sat a few feet across from Ryou in the armchair observing the teen as he sipped his hot chocolate. Ryou had his knees pulled up to his chest and held the mug in both hands watching the steam rise from it, then took a drink and relaxed a little. Why did he feel so comfortable here? Even with Marik, who Ryou had the least contact with so far still felt safe around him. "You want to talk about it?" Marik asked his voice low and smooth, Ryou shook his head no and the Demon frowned feeling slightly offended and hurt that the human he once loved so much couldn't confide in him. Marik's eyes widened as tears started to fall again from the human.

Marik placed down his mug and moved over to the couch where Ryou sat, he took away Ryou's cup sitting it aside and pulled the teen closer and hugged him… Marik was actually hugging the human as he cried again. The voice in Marik's head was telling him to push the boy away and let him know that Bakura would handle everything when he got back with Malik.

"What happened Ryou?" Marik sighed, he wanted to know and help Ryou himself, why? He didn't know, but for the fact that Ryou was here now and needed someone, anyone. Marik frowned so now he was calling the boy by his name as well? But it also worried him that Ryou was so upset, what could have happened? And now it struck Marik that he knew nothing of Ryou or his life, but did he really want to know about this human? He lifted Ryou's chin up and caressed his cheek, the boy's resemblance was uncanny, the Demon asked. "Tell me what happened?" For this Marik was going to see Olly the Soul Collector and demand answers.

With a little hesitation Ryou told him with all the humiliating details of how Honda had attacked him in the kitchen and then how Ryou cut his cheek with a butter knife. Which Marik found very amusing and told Ryou that the guy deserved it and more.

"Now Honda's most likely telling everyone how insane I am." Ryou bowed his head; glad for the strong arms that were holding him.

"Bakura and Malik told me about him." Marik lifted his hand and brushed the white hair out of Ryou eyes. "And they were also right, this guy is a bastard." Ryou sighed.

"I agree, but I never thought he would do something like that to me… or me do something like cutting him." Ryou looked away his eyes landing on the coffee table. "I could have taken his eye out."

"If you hadn't of protected yourself against him, he would have done so much more. So what you did was justified." Marik lifted the human's chin again, his thumb lightly ghosted over Ryou's bottom lip, careful not to reopen the wound making it bleed all over again. Marik had to wander what it would feel like to kiss those full lips, all he would have to do is lean forward slightly and those lips would be his for as long as he wanted, Marik shook his head lightly to throw the thoughts off, he asked softly. "You know the truth of what happened so don't let him manipulate you or anyone else. If this Yugi guy is as good of a friend you say he is then he would believe you."

"I know you're right." Ryou gave him a brief smile and blushing lightly as Marik moved his hand from his face to only warp around him again, Ryou rested his head on Marik's chest, he could hear the very fast and strong heart beating within. Ryou closed his eyes and listened to it for a few seconds and with the arms wrapped around him, he felt that nothing could harm him right now and he said. "But why do I feel so horrible?" Marik hugged him more tightly bringing him closer to his body. Marik remembered Malik saying that he felt the same way, a dirty feeling that he couldn't get rid of no matter what, after the incident in Egypt. So Marik knew what to do, lots of hugs, listening, reassuring, caring, time and even more listening and hugs.

Marik sighed. "You'll feel much better in the morning." He lent back a little and got up to his feet holding out his hand for Ryou, who took it and he was led up stairs.

"Bakura won't mind me sleeping in his bed, will he?" Ryou asked walking to the end of the hallway.

"I think he would be quite happy that you're here." In fact Bakura would be ecstatic to find the boy asleep in his bed, since that is where Bakura wanted the human anyway. Marik opened the door then turned on the lights, a large bed with a mass of pillows on it, three bookshelves full of books with colorful spines, a dresser in the corner and the top was full of photos in frames of all kinds, an open archway without a door that led into a small bathroom sat just off to his right. The room was homely and warm; this small find was so unexpected. Ryou had thought that Bakura would have gone for blacks and reds with the walls covered with posters of heavy metal rock bands, the room dark and a mess.

"You can call any one you want in the morning." Marik said as he checked the window making sure it was locked and closing the heavy drapes and then walked to the door.

Ryou climbed onto the bed and under the covers, Marik stopped at the doorway he was going to turn off the lights for the human so Ryou didn't have to. Marik turned his head to look at the teen and held in a gasp, the t-shirt that Ryou was wearing slipped off exposing his left shoulder. Marik wanted to walk over there and pin the human down and run his tongue over the flesh just to taste it. "Thank you, Marik." Ryou looked at him snapping Marik out of his thoughts.

The Demon cursed himself for think such thoughts. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything or in my bedroom." The teen smiled and wanted to ask him to stay Ryou wanted more comfort. "Good night… Ryou." Marik closed the door.

Ryou sighed and snuggled down pulling the blankets up to his chin and looked around for a few minutes, the room and bed smelt just like Bakura, making Ryou feel welcome, warm and at ease. The rain hit the glass behind the curtains sounding like lots of small fingertips taping on the glass wanting to come in. He rolled over in the bed and for the first time in a long time he started to fall asleep without any trouble at all.

A while later Marik turned off the t.v and took the mugs from the living room and dropped them into the kitchen sink. He walked back out of the kitchen, with a yawn and a stretch and headed for the stairs. He was tired of waiting for the two to show up, and going to bed seemed to be the better idea. The front door opened with a gust of wind and rain, Bakura and Malik rushed in closing the door behind them. "Bakura, you really have to use a more civil way of talking to people." Malik said taking off his jacket and shaking the water from his hair.

"I said please, wasn't that good enough?" Bakura mumbled as he too took off his long black jacket.

"Yeah you said it after you threw the poor bastard down the flight of stairs and out the door." Malik rolled his eyes. "You scared the hell out of everyone there." Malik folded his light tan jacket in his arms. "Keep it up Bakura and we are going to be band from most of the places that, you, like so much." Malik shook his head, but smiled at seeing Marik standing by the stairs.

"Malik, you know Bakura's anti-social." Marik smirked.

"Hey, it's not like I killed the guy, just gave him a reminder that when I say get out of my way, I mean it." Bakura walked passed them up the stairs.

Marik shook his head but then remembered Ryou was in his room and called out. "Bakura?!" He dashed after him.

"What? I'm taking a shower and going to bed." Bakura looked over his shoulder as Marik grabbed his arm and pulled him into his bedroom. "If you're that needy for me, Marik, you should have said something." Bakura grinned and was about to wrap his arms around Marik's neck.

"It's nothing like that." Marik said letting him go and stepping away, Malik walked in and closed the door behind him. "Something happened tonight."

"What?" Malik was now at his side looking him over for any injures, Bakura raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm fine." Marik took Malik's hands in his and looked at Bakura. "It's Ryou."

"What happened?" Bakura growled all playfulness gone and Malik gasped.

"He was… how should I put this?" Marik rubbed the back of his head, knowing anything he said now would have Bakura storming the city looking for the idiot with a death wish, but by the looks of it, Bakura was ready to kill anyway, Marik mumbled out. "He was attacked."

"WHAT?!" Bakura roared furiously, his black wing flew out from his back ripping his shirt; his eyes went from dark brown to crimson, Malik recoiled back a little behind Marik. "Who did it?! I want a name!" Bakura seethed, his fangs shone in the low light.

"Calm down." Marik said, as Bakura went for the window behind them. He would find Ryou, demand to know who had hurt him and then… "Ryou got away from him, though he was a little hurt and scared, but he is fine now." Marik grabbed his arm again stopping Bakura from flying out the window.

Bakura bared his fangs at Marik and hissed out. "I'm going to paint the inside of the bastards house in his own blood." He growled out pushing aside the cautions. "No one mistreats my mate and lives."

"Ryou is in your bed asleep right now." Marik said hoping to calm the Demon, Yami would have his head for sure this time if Bakura went out to deliberately kill a human.

Bakura's wings folded against his back and his eyes turned to their dark state instantly. "He is?" He asked sounding surprised turning around to face Marik.

"I took care of him." Marik said walking back to the bedroom door. "He's safe and asleep." He opened it.

"He's in my bed?" Bakura asked disbelieving him a little as Marik really didn't want anything to do with the human and Bakura following close behind him, as if sure on what to do.

"Yes, so why don't you go and look in on him for me." Marik said as he lightly pushed Bakura out into the hallway.

"Who did it?" Bakura asked a growling sound came from his chest still displeased about the news.

"Go see him for yourself." Marik smirked; shot back the same words that Bakura had said to him just the other night. "Since you have your sights set on making the human your mate, now would be a good time to show him that you would make the excellent mate for him by letting him know that you really care and get into his good graces." Marik smirked and couldn't help himself he added. "Be the boy's night in shinning armor."

"You're being sarcastic." Bakura mumbled at him narrowing his eyes.

"No, I'm being serious." Marik crossed his arms over his chest. "He really needs someone right now and you would be perfect for that."

"I can help." Malik went to take a step out into the hallway when Marik stopped him.

"Go Bakura, we'll see you in the morning." Marik closed the door on him, and Bakura could hear Malik protesting about staying behind but it was cut short as he yelped then laughed.

Bakura frowned at the door feeling a little hurt to be pushed out of Marik's bed, so to say, and it was starting. Bakura ran a hand through his wet hair and sighed, it looked liked he would be spending the next week sleeping alone. He walked down the hallway and stopped outside his own door and listened for a few minutes. Bakura could hear steady breathing from within the room; he slowly pushed open the door and stepped in, instantly closing the door behind him throwing him into the darkness of the room.

Ryou was indeed in his bed, Bakura ran a hand through his wet hair and noticed he was shaking slightly, was he nervous about the human? Bakura shook himself it was not like he was going to sleep on the couch and he knew Marik wouldn't let him back in his room again tonight.

Bakura moved about the room as quietly at possible taking off his ripped shirt, shoes and jeans. Bakura walked into the small bathroom, turning on a soft light, hoping that it wasn't to bright and wake Ryou up. Soon after Bakura walked out of the bathroom and stopped for a second watching the teen, he hadn't moved while he had been in the shower. Bakura then turned off the light and the room was completely dark again and he climbed into the bed under the covers.

Bakura grinned mischievously as Ryou had his back to him, this wouldn't do at all. Bakura lent forward slightly and ran his tongue over the teens bare shoulder. Ryou moaned softly and rolled over and unknowingly pressed himself right up against Bakura, who groaned and wrapped his arms around Ryou and moved them both down into the bed.

The human sighed in his sleep and snuggled closer; Bakura lay there running his fingers up and down Ryou's back. The teen slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times and looked up, to see the white hair like his own and pale skin. "Bakura?"

"Did I wake you?" Bakura asked, he really hadn't meant to.

"No." Ryou said looking down at Bakura's bare chest, blushed, and looked up. "I'm sorry, Marik said it would be okay for me to sleep here tonight." He went to sit up, but the strong arms tightened on him stopping him from moving anywhere.

"Don't leave... Please." Bakura mumbled and couldn't be happier when Ryou relaxed in his arms again; Bakura pulled away and laid on his back then pulled Ryou closer, and added. "If you wish it I'll leave."

"Oh no." Ryou said shaking his head leaning on the Demon's chest. "I'm glad for the company, really." Bakura nodded his head and his fingers went back to running up and down the teens back, a comfortable silence fell over them for a while. "What happened here?" Bakura gently tilted Ryou's chin up slightly and narrowed his eyes, holding in the growl of displeasure of the mark on his humans face, he hadn't missed it when he got into bed, he just hadn't said anything until he knew Ryou was comfortable with his presences.

Ryou placed his head on Bakura's chest and told him everything, finding it easier every time he talked about it and it made him feel a little better. Bakura growled, he was going to force feed Honda's internal organs to him, for what he did. "Not everyone is like that or have the same intentions in mind." Bakura mumbled.

"I know." Ryou sighed as his right hand unconsciously ran back and fourth over Bakura's chest kneading the skin. "But I still have to face them at some point."

Bakura was enjoying the soft touches so much that he almost started purring. "When you're ready to face them." Here Bakura lifted Ryou's chin up, not that the human could see him very well, Bakura continued. "I'll go with you."

"You don't have to." Ryou said, trying not to burden Bakura with his problems, as the older male would have his own to deal with, Bakura gave him a sharp look that was lost in the dark of the room.

"I want too, for you."

"But I'll fix this my own way." Ryou looked away as Bakura removed his hand.

"I know you could." He pulled the human closer and whispered. "But I want you to come to me when things get tough for you, to talk to me, to need me and I'll be there for you always." Ryou frowned and looked at his right hand as his fingers were entwined in Bakura's hair that fell over his shoulder. Ryou thought on how nice it would be to have someone there for him. He knew the room they gave him at Yugi's house would soon be gone and he would be left on his own again, but to have someone to talk to would make things a lot easier. "I'll be there whenever you need me."

To Bakura's surprise and over enjoyment, Ryou daringly lent up and kissed the Demon on the lips for a few seconds and pulled away. "You, Malik and Marik have been so nice to me, so thank you."

"You have no reason to thank me, what kind of a mate would I be if I didn't take care of you?" Before Ryou could ask what he meant by _mate, _Bakura wrapped his arms around him and snuggled them both down in the bed and pulled the covers up. "You can stay as long as you need to." Ryou closed his eyes and lent his forehead against Bakura's chest feeling once again safe and protected in the Demons arms, sleep came even easier this time around.

* * *

**TBC**

Had to end it there, this story is going to be longer than seventeen chapters, but a lot of the original will be thrown in here and there, and a lot more depth with Yugi/Yami and Joey/Seto making it longer… so readers **R&R**.


	13. Chapter 13

I know I have been slow on the updates but don't worry I'm having a case of writers block and nothing is coming to me, _**NOTHING!!! **_ But anyway I'll get through it soon, hoping, fingers crossed people.

**Warning**: M and Yaoi, so if don't like it or easily offended by it then **DO NOT READ**!! Flames will be used to toast my marshmallows.

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Chap 13. **

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Before dawn, Marik moved himself from Malik's side, watching as his mate rolled onto his stomach and hugged the pillow to himself and falling back into a restful sleep again. Marik lightly ran his fingers over Malik's upper left arm and over the mated mark; made centuries ago and looked no older then an a few minutes, a dark patch, like a bruise but if you looked closely enough you could see Marik's name in his skin, usually Malik wore a gold armband to hide it from prying human eyes that would ask him about the unusual mark, not that Malik was ashamed of it, far from it. He would always say that it was no ones business but his own. Marik smiled to himself, he had pulled all the jewelry off Malik's body last night in throws of passion. Malik's jewelry lay about the floor, two armbands, wrist cuffs, his neck cuffs and his clothing. Marik brushed the platinum blonde hair out of Malik's face tucking it behind his ear, Malik sighed in his sleep but didn't wake.

Marik stood up, taking his clothing from the floor and pulled them on and soon walked out of the room without disturbing Malik. He stepped out into the hallway and looked down towards Bakura's bedroom, he would need the small trinket to complete what he wanted to do, knowing that Bakura would never hand it over without asking questions first, which he wasn't interested in giving answers.

Marik walked to the bedroom door and opened it softly; he also wandered what had happened between Ryou and Bakura last night and what he might see once he walked into the bedroom. Ryou asleep in the bed alone where he had left the human last and Bakura on the couch downstairs… but to Marik's surprise he saw Bakura laying on his back and Ryou laying on top of him arms and legs wrapped around each other in a tight embrace, both fast asleep, Bakura looked content and sleeping peacefully, just like old times. Marik watched them for a few minutes as he left the door ajar for an easier escape should Bakura wake up.

The room was still and dark but Marik knew what he was looking for and where it would be. He moved deeper into the room going for the nightstand on the far side of the bed. Marik walked around the end of the bed careful not to bump it and wake them. He opened the draw and looked it over seeing what he was after he picked it up, a small pink stone with a green swirl in the center, the stone was attached to a thin silver chain, he then closed the draw again. Marik turned around and jumped back holding in a gasp knocking the nightstand a little in the process as Bakura's black wing shot out and sat over the edge of bed blocking his pathway out, Marik had to turn back around swiftly and stop the few items from falling from the nightstand, he made sure that nothing was going to fall over. He let out a breath that he had been holding and moved sideways coming free of the wing, bed and nightstand; Bakura could never control his wings in sleep.

Marik stepped outside the house and the crisp breeze and dark shadows still covered most of everything as the world was still gray and wisps of fog surrounded the house and mostly the town. No one was around at this time of morning not even the birds were up. Marik held up the small stone and it glowed opening a dark portal, he pocketed the stone. He would have to return it before Bakura found it missing and with that, Marik stepped through the portal and it closed instantly behind him.

Marik stepped out on the other side and was met with flat grass ground with headstones placed here and there, large willow trees grew all round with flower beds placed here and there, the sun was high and bright in the sky with a warm breeze, it looked more like a beautiful park then where the dead rested.

Marik walked the path of loose white stones that crunched under his feet, he would find her here, she was always here. A few families were sitting or standing around a headstone of loved ones that had passed. Marik shook his head, graveyards were for those who couldn't let go of those who had passed on from this life and the stones were a reminder of the body that lay under the ground so many feet down. Marik moved towards group of people that were standing about as a funeral took place; he approached a tall woman in all black and was as tall as Marik, she stood at the back and slightly away from everyone else. "You know it doesn't matter how many I go to, I just can't get over why they do this?" A woman said to Marik without looking at him as he came to a stop behind her. "I mean the soul has moved on, there is nothing to say good bye too." She said, her voice soft and sharp, she was wearing a long black tight dress, matching black high heels and a hat with a small vial covering her small dark blue sunglasses.

"They're only saying good bye." Marik mumbled and looked around at the humans that were sniffling and crying softly into tissues and on each other's shoulders, he was feeling a little intrusive. "This is very morbid, Olly." Marik placing his hands into his pockets of his leather pants, she looked at him with a wicked smile that said anything but friend and innocent.

"You know the undead like to watch the living." Her voice purred as she keenly looked over the humans as if counting them up for a meal, then turned and started to walk away, Marik followed her and the two took a slow casual pace in their walk heading towards the much older part of the graveyard.

"And have you learnt anything from the living in the long years you have watched them?" Marik asked his hands deep in his pockets still as he glanced about.

"Humans don't like to be alone." Olly said, nodding her head in greeting to the young girl and the old man as they passed by them. "It's only natural that humans run about looking for that someone special." She glanced at Marik and said. "Humans like to know they are loved and needed in someway or another."

"What a load of crap, Olly." Marik said clearly to her.

Olly just started to chuckle as if she were mad and said after a long minute taking in breath to calm herself down. "Oh your right… like I could give a fuck what these pathetic humans want! As long as I get their souls at the end, I don't care what they do!" Olly glanced at him, her tone suddenly annoyed. "Do you think they would tell me how many more I have left to collect? No!" She threw her hands up in the air and called out sarcastically. "All a part of having to serve the Greater plan!" She puffed for air a little and placed her hands on her hips before anyone could see her. "I have watched them though. Do you know that some jump from mate to mate?"

"It's called marriage and humans don't often mate for life." Marik reminded her.

"That's what I found out, that sets us apart." Olly mumbled. "It's disgraceful, taking someone to your bed and not mating them your mate, but to top it off they place the love factor into it and make it more complicated for everyone involved then what it really should be." She sighed.

"But I bet you like it more when there's a lovers quarrel involved?" Marik smriked.

"Oh for sure it's like watching a day time soap opera, and being undead I don't get to have a lot of fun." Olly smirked. "But it's not like I'll go all Zombie and start eating everyone." She placed a finger to her chin and tapped it in thought a few times. "Though it would be a laugh to have a little fun with the living like that." They both soon stopped walking and no people were seen anywhere, she glanced at him and asked. "So what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Demon? Or was it a conversation you were after?"

"Ryou's soul." Marik stated looking about at all the headstones that were spaced out, a lot of them were crooked, chipped, grown over by moss and grass and weather worn from centuries of being out in the open; the last time Marik had been here it had been all-new, he searched for a particular headstone, then continued to walk, again.

Olly opened her mouth then closed it with a knowing smirk. "Ooooh." She took off her black hat and it instantly vanished from her hand, her long light brown hair fell to her lower back in a soft wave. "Touchy subject, Demon… for both parties."

"I have a Ryou look-a-like in our life right now and I need to know." Marik moved aside the long vial of soft branches from willow tree to find a small lone headstone near the trunk of the tree with moss and grass over growing it, and small broken bits of bronze lay on the top that once used to be a gold armband, moss now held it in place. "Did he choose to come back, now?" Marik's eyes roamed over the front of stone, it was rounded on top and small in size, smaller then most in this place, and words that used to be in gold had turned bronze with time and barely seen that had once formed a name, _Ryou._

Tears burned his eyes and Marik looked away taking in a deep breath to calm himself, it did always upset him to come here. "I told you that night, that Ryou would never again walk this earth, he used his '_get-a-life free card_' only because you had your life shortened to bring him back in a deal."

"Is this a punishment for me because I killed him?" Marik asked as he sat down a little in front of the stone.

"You know better then to ask that." She too sat down across from him. "Are you trying to get your life back? Because you know that it was a done deal." Marik looked away from her, his life was somewhat shortened more then any other Demon and he would age faster then Bakura and Malik, meaning he would die sooner then both of them, much sooner, and it would be a matter of time before Malik and Bakura found out something was wrong with him.

"No, I want to know why are those things parading around wearing his face, hair and body!" Marik watched the branches sway in the light breeze.

"I can't reveal that to you." Olly said shaking her head at him.

"But I have to know, where is Ryou's soul? And how can I get it back?" He narrowed his eyes at her, if he could get the soul back into the right body, then the Ryou that was with them would be worth his time.

"You can't and I can't tell you." She lent forward and whispered pointing upward towards the sky. "It's against the rules."

"Olly, don't be a bitch and tell my Master what he wants to know." Came a voice.

Olly groaned in annoyance and said. "She never leaves me alone." A body appeared next to her of pale skin and long blonde hair with golden eyes in a white long gown that brushed over the grass.

"MASTER!" She threw herself at him knocking them both back onto the ground, she laughed happily into his chest as Marik raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yoshie, may I remind you you're not so small anymore." She laughed with an apology and sat back on her knees, watching her former Master as he sat up as well, she was a little shorter then Olly and looked just like a human, almost, if it weren't for the pointed ears. "It's good to see you again, you look great." Marik complemented her and she blushed and then scowled at Olly.

"You must tell Master what he wants to know." Yoshie pointed at Olly warningly. "Ryou asked you too as a favour for him." She narrowed her eyes.

"What did Ryou say?" Marik asked wanting to hear as well, Olly sighed and looked at Marik.

"That night I brought Ryou back to life and you killed him a few hours later." Olly scowled at him for a second and the Demon glanced away seeing the city below from the hill they were sitting on, through the branches as the wind blew them apart. "Mind you I was the laughing stock for a hundred years, thanks to you."

"Olly!" Yoshie snapped at her.

"Anyway, Ryou forgave you of course. And Yoshie here!" Olly poked her in the arm. "Couldn't stand to see Ryou so upset and missing you three. The two talked to the realm Elders in letting Ryou come back, full soul, his name and looks… the works." Marik looked at her intently to see if she was telling the truth. "I don't know how he pulled it off, but Ryou also talked the Elders into the timing of his own birth, to the right people, who would happen to be in the same town years later down the track so you three would indubitably run into him."

"The catch was?" Yoshie hissed at her making sure Olly told Marik everything.

"The catch was that Ryou's memories, all of them, were erased from him, but since that can't be done the memorise are locked away in the soul itself."

"Wait?! Let me get this straight." Marik knelt up on his knees looking right at Olly. "Ryou wanted to be with us again, so he had everything arranged to meet up with us in this town, in this era?"

"He's not to bright, is he?" Olly said flatly to Yoshie, the former fairy frowned right back at her then glanced at Marik.

"Master, Ryou wanted it this way. He knew that Malik would attack him in the park and that he would pass it on and Bakura would step in taking him as a mate again and he would be where he has always wanted to be… with you. But he wasn't counting on you taking his presences so hard." Yoshie bit her lip her hands folded together in her lap as she twisted her fingers together. "Don't keep pushing him away, Marik. Ryou forgave you." She added.

"I haven't forgiven myself." Marik suddenly stood up his back to them. "If he had just listened to me, he'd still be alive and whole." He sighed his shoulder slumped. "I killed him, ran my sword right through his chest." Marik remembered being a hair width from Ryou's face as his sword stuck right through the boy's chest, he watched those light brown eyes fill with tears and dull over as death settled in.

Yoshie got up to her feet; her long white gown touched the grass she was standing on. "He loves you, anyone can see that, even if he can't remember himself."

"Just start anew, Demon… what they don't know can't hurt them." Olly vanished she had grown weary of the conversation; patience was not one of her virtues.

"Master." Yoshie wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "He has given you a second chance, take it while you can and be happy, Master."

"It's not Ryou, its Bakura, if he found out what I did. He would take Ryou away and I'd never see them again… I'd rather lose one then both of them."

"Talk to Bakura, he might surprise you and understand." She said, Marik bowed his head looked at the stone that was off to his side a little.

"Then you don't know Bakura to well."

"Oh the possessive, anti-social, bastard of a Demon, sure I know him." She laughed lightly resting her head on his shoulder her arms in a loose hug around him. "But you know I always thought that ignorance is kind."

"It is." He sighed and added. "I'm sorry Yoshie for everything." Marik raised a hand and squeezed her forearm lightly that was crossed over his chest.

"I miss you, but I'm happy where I am. I get to be reborn a real human in a few years, and in the body I have now." She pulled away with a smile and lent up kissing Marik on the cheek and pulled back. "Maybe I'll look you up."

"I'll look forward to it." Marik smirked at her and said. "Thanks for taking care of Ryou." Yoshie nodded and walked towards the tree. "Yoshie?!" Marik called out and she stopped and looked at him. "I'll see you soon."

"I guarantee it. Oh that reminds me!" She dashed forward grabbed Marik by the wrist and placed a peace of paper in his hand. "If anyone knew I was doing this, then I'm in big trouble." Marik gave her a worried look as he took the paper from her. "Just a little heads up for the future, read it." With that she winked at him and vanished in a whirl of wind, Marik looked down at the folded paper in his hand and opened it, in neat gold writing was a small message.

'_Watch out for the Flesh Eater, with the two Shadows and the Black Dog.  
P.S… I got your life extended.  
Yoshie.'_

"What the hell does it mean?" Marik called out looking up knowing that he wouldn't get an answer from anyone. Marik turned on his heels pocketing the paper and heading home, before anyone would wake up and noticed his absence. Maybe Yoshie was right and Bakura might understand what he did, Marik hoped he would.

* * *

The morning had been slow moving at first, as Bakura refused to get up out of bed and kept Ryou with him to hold, Malik joined them soon after as well wanting a hug, but over all the morning was enjoyable and Ryou found himself laughing along with Malik at a few of Bakura's antics that he had gotten up to over the last few years and had been safe enough to tell. Marik who had gotten back before anyone woke up and managed to place back the pendent without Bakura missing it, would only smirk and add his little bits in here and there into the conversation, it only made Ryou laugh more along with Malik.

Bakura soon reminded them that they had something to do, and soon enough the four left the house, Bakura and Ryou were in the car and Malik and Marik were on the motor bike ahead of them, they soon arrived at Yugi's.

As they walked down the path Bakura was already growling and could taste the blood that he would spill from Honda. "It'll be fine." Marik reassured with a smirk, Bakura snorted at him. His morning hadn't been shaping up to much, the small time he had Ryou to himself _in his bed _of all places, was interrupted by Malik crawling into Bakura's bed, complaining that he was feeling left out.

Marik sighed this was not what he planed on doing today, he still wanted more answers, but then thought of Bakura ripping everyone apart came to mind so he decide to come along to keep him in line. Malik and Ryou walked together ahead of them and had been talking between each other since getting out of the car, supposedly about their free independences study for school, Bakura and Marik doubted that's what they were talking about as Ryou yelped and playfully hit Malik on the arm and warning him about his groping hands. Malik laughed and wrapped his arms around Ryou placing kisses up his neck and over his face, claiming that his hands were possessed.

Bakura smirked at how Malik could get away with free groping the human, oh Malik could warm his way into anyone's heart and before you know it he's under your skin, if he so choose to, and before you know it you have fallen for him so fast and hard that nothing could stop you.

They stopped at the front door and Ryou took in a deep breath and went to knock. Thoughts flooded his head of what could happen once he stepped through that door. Ryou gasped and pulled his hand away turned and dashed down the few stairs, he couldn't do it. "Ryou!" Malik called out surprised and Bakura ran after him stopping the teen before he reached the footpath, no human alive could out run him.

"What's wrong?" Bakura asked holding Ryou by his shoulders; the teen shook his head eyes wide as he said. "I can't do it… I can't face them."

Bakura said sternly. "Why not? Your friends should know the truth and Honda has to be put in his place."

"I just can't go in there." Ryou bowed his head looking at his shoes.

Marik walked up to them and stopped at Bakura's side looking at Ryou, he had been pissed off last night at hearing what this guy had done, not because it was Ryou, it was just wrong in general. "People like Honda don't get the meaning of the word, _no,_ too easily and need a lot of head smashing to get the point across." Marik smirked he couldn't help it at seeing the small smile on Ryou's face.

Bakura nodded in agreement and said. "If you don't face him now, he'll think he can treat you anyway he likes." He pulled Ryou into a tight hug. "I'll be with you and if Honda doesn't listen to you." Here Bakura lifted Ryou's chin up and asked. "Can I be the one to do the head smashing?" Ryou chuckled despite himself and shook his head. "Come on, we are right with you on this." Ryou glanced at Marik, who nodded his head and started back for the front door where Malik waited watching them worriedly.

Ryou once again hesitated on knocking on the door, he gasped as a strong hand was placed on his shoulder, he looked up as Marik lent in slightly and knocked for him, Marik whispered in his ear. "You have nothing to worry about while I'm around." The Demon took a step back and waited. The door soon opened and Yugi stood there a little surprised to see them. "I though I heard something." The short human glanced the four over before settling on Ryou. "Are you okay?"

"As good as I can be." Ryou smiled and Bakura noticed how forced it was and it irritated him to no end.

"So who are those guys?" Yugi asked, still not moving to let anyone past him or into the house just yet.

"Oh you know Malik." Ryou said and the youngest Demon gave a small wave and smile. "That's Bakura." Whose eye twitched as his bad mood went up a notch; he wanted pain and screaming from the bastard that violated his mate. "And Marik." Ryou pointed to him, the taller Demon shook his head.

"Friends of yours Ryou?" Yugi asked.

"No we're his three wise men going on a shopping spree and wanted to know if you'll join us." Bakura said sarcastically but grunted as Marik elbowed him in his side. "What?!" Bakura asked and Marik rolled his eyes.

"Yes we are friends of Ryou and I'm the one that found him last night." Marik moved forward and stood in front of Yugi towering over him and looking down with a less than pleased look on his face. "Can we take this inside or do you wish it to be public?"

"Oh I'm sorry." Yugi moved aside and held open the door for them. "Just in the living room." Yugi waited to they all passed him and he grabbed Ryou's arm watching as the three walked into the living room. "Who are they?"

"People that care about me." Ryou said glancing down the empty hallway losing what little courage he had in him as soon as Bakura was out of his sights, he shook his head, he had survived all these years without anyone to help, he was surviving his father, high school and being a teenager, so why did he need Bakura?

"I'm worried about you that's all." Yugi let go of his arm.

"That's not the look you gave me last night." Ryou said taking a step away from him and crossing his arms over his chest, he could do this stand up for himself.

"Because you cut our friends cheek, someone you have known a long time." Yugi shook his head. "To say I was surprised would be an understatement."

"Because he attacked me first! I was protecting myself." Just as Ryou had said that Honda walked out of the kitchen and into the small hallway carrying a glass of water, his cheek had a white bandage over where Ryou had cut it last night.

"You attacked me, Ryou." Honda said and Ryou took a few steps backwards unfolding his arms as he came up short against the closed front door.

"I did no such thing!" Ryou shot back, and right after that Bakura, Marik and Malik were in the hallway as well directly across from Honda.

"Five stitches and my face will scar!" Honda pointed to his cheek angrily to emphasize his point.

"It should be an improvement then." Malik shot at him.

"Fuck you freak!" Honda spat, Marik growled as Malik lunged at him hands ready to strangle the life from him, but Ryou was suddenly there with a loud resounding slap that filled the hallway and Honda's head snapped to the left and he stumbled backwards to the wall holding his cheek.

"Don't ever call him that!" Ryou yelled at him, and before he new it, Bakura had grabbed onto him and pulled him away as Honda took swing back at Ryou as a reaction. Honda gasped as his wrist was caught in mid swing and Marik glared down at him, eyes narrowed dangerously, he squeezed the fist in his hand and Honda fell to his knees crying out in pain.

"Break it, Marik!" Malik hissed from behind him watching as the teen cried out again. Marik shoved the human away, who landed on the floor up against the wall holding his hand.

Marik lent in and hissed. "You make him cry like you did last night and I'll have the pleasure in removing your eyes from your head personally." Marik turned on his heels and gathered his mate, Bakura and Ryou and moved them into the living room, before he killed the human, Yugi and Honda soon followed.

Yugi stood near the doorway and Honda took the armchair. "Look I know that you guys had a fight last night but is there anyway to see it through and become friends again?" Yugi bit his lip looking at Ryou, who sat on the couch, Malik beside him turned slightly towards the teen holding his hands, Bakura sat on the armrest on other side of Ryou and Marik stood just next to Malik just in case.

"Like hell we can my so called boyfriend runs from me in the middle of the night to sleep with someone he just met." Honda growled out as Ryou looked at him in dismay. "You're a cheating whore Ryou!" He spat out, Bakura growled and stood up, Marik reached over and grabbed onto his arm to stop him from doing anything stupid.

"Honda!" Yugi hissed. "That was uncalled for."

"He is." Honda said, _fuck it!_ He thought, if he couldn't have Ryou then why should anyone else, and who would want a homeless boyfriend sucking up all your money anyway, like what Ryou was doing to Yugi and his Grandpa. "He approached me in the kitchen and made advances towards _me, _I refused and he attacked me, I'm the victim here not him."

"Just shut up!" Ryou yelled standing up, pulling his hands free from Malik's who let out a soft gasp, the only good thing he might have going for him and he was going to lose it before he could really find out. "You're lying! Just stay the hell away from me!" Ryou yelled at Honda, the room fell silent in shock. Bakura's frown deepened as he glanced at Marik then back at Ryou, he picked up that there was more than just the attack that was bothering his human, but what? Bakura was going to find out, after all he knew nothing of Ryou's life.

Ryou couldn't rid himself of the dirty feeling that crept back and he could feel the hands all over him again. He moved forward and grabbed Honda by the front of his shirt and shook him. "Do you hear me?! I don't want to see you again! I don't want you near me!" Ryou shook his head as angry tears started to fall as he still shook Honda hoping to get his point across. Yugi stood there with his hands over his mouth not sure what to do.

Hands were placed over Ryou's and removed from Honda's crumpled up shirt; he was turned and pulled into a protective hug by Bakura, Ryou refused to cry out of shock and self-pity, he was pissed, how dare Honda accuse him of doing such horrid things. "He's going to leave you alone from now on." The Demon reassured Ryou as he glared at Honda, who was slumped and shocked at Ryou's reaction, he hadn't expected that from the teen. Bakura's eyes turned crimson flashing inhumanly bright in the dull lit room, as Honda gave a small smirk, they both knew this wasn't going to be the end of it, Bakura was going to make sure that his mate's point was made very clear.

"I think you should leave, Honda." Yugi said. "You had no right to do what you did to Ryou."

"What?" Honda stood up. "After all you have seen how he treated me!"

"You deserved it." Malik growled his face darkened by anger, Honda backed up a little as Marik also looked ready to kill him, and Ryou was blocked from his line of view by Bakura's body.

"Fine!" Honda stormed from the house the front door slamming and Yugi sighed as he walked to the door.

"I'll leave you guys for a bit." Yugi stopped just outside the door looking back in. "But when you're ready to talk to me Ryou I will listen." Bakura nodded his head for Ryou, who looked like he wasn't ready to respond any time soon, Yugi gave them a smile and left the room.

Bakura stood there holding Ryou in his arms and rocked him slightly on his feet, he liked nothing more then holding his mate to be, Bakura could sense that the teen was still very upset and angry and he hated it more then anything. The Demon closed his eyes and pulled Ryou to him even more, glad that the human didn't resist him. Marik's eyes widened as he got up and rushed to the door of the living room and closed it leaning against it making sure no one was going to walk in on them.

Bakura's black feather wings spread out from his back and came forward fanning out and wrapping slightly around them both almost like a cocoon of black feathers, if they had been connected by the mating bonds he could have confronted Ryou just with his prescience alone, but his human had always needed close contact with him.

Ryou sighed into the chest as he felt warm and at ease as if the argument had never happened as if last night hadn't been that big of a deal, why? Why was he feeling like this? The world could crumble down around him and knowing his soul would be eaten, devoured and lost in darkness forever, but as long as he was here, now, in Bakura's arms he couldn't bring himself to care, Ryou lent into Bakura more and took the comfort offered to him.

Marik watched as Bakura tapped into his powers his black wings glowed a soft dark blue then vanished sending an explosion of small balls of blue light like snow into the living room air and one by one they too vanished before touching the ground. Ryou slowly opened his eyes and looked up and met Bakura's gaze and whispered. "Thank you for being here with me." Ryou reluctantly took a small step back, feeling much better then he had in a while.

Bakura gave a nod of his head and glanced at the disapproved look Marik was giving him; Bakura shrugged his shoulder at Marik and left the room.

* * *

**TBC**

Okay this is the part where you **R&R **me and I'll give you a cookie and an update soon, okay?


	14. Chapter 14

But the looks of how this story is going you guys are enjoying it as much as I'm writing it.

**Warning**: M and Yaoi, so if don't like it or easily offended by it then **DO NOT READ**!! Flames will be used to toast my marshmallows.

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Chap 14**

* * *

Joey sat in his favorite cozy warm café drinking a hot coffee after such a night. He was touching up the information on his lost sister, but his mind wondered over last nights events that had been strange… and Honda was acting just as weird. Joey sighed as he picked up his cup and took a sip. He had never seen such a look on Ryou's face before, sure they were the best of friends and Honda did something that upset him greatly. Joey looked up and out the window next to him, watching the people walk by and the traffic on the road. Joey knew that whatever was going on Yugi, Ryou and Honda would work it out between themselves and would tell him on their own accord.

Joey didn't see the tall figure walk up behind him and stop. "I didn't know they let strays inside?" Came a voice, Joey sat up from his comfortable slouched position in his chair and gathered up the papers he had been working on placing them into a blue folder.

"Well, it had been shaping up to a good morning." Joey stood up without looking to see who was talking to him, as he already knew, taking the blue folder he turned to glare up at the most annoying person on the planet, who by the way Joey still had no clue as to what the aggravating persons name was.

"I was thinking the same thing before I saw you." Seto said as he turned to face the young girl who stood behind the counter at the other end of the café. Seto placed an order, with a nod of her head she dashed off. Seto turned his attention back to the human and narrowed his eyes, ever since running into this lowly human, he couldn't get him out of his head, the eyes, hair, scent, it was driving him crazy and most importantly his work was suffering because of it. Seto blamed the mating season, but why did his heart pound in his chest so painfully whenever he saw the blonde, surely it had nothing to do with being interested and if the great Seto Kaiba was, even, even thinking on taking a mate then it would be with his own kind and someone worth his while.

"I'm leaving anyway, so enjoy yourself." Joey scoffed turning on his heels, this jerk had wasted enough of his time and Joey wasn't up to fighting with this nameless bastard, who seemed to enjoy cutting him down with insults.

Seto's mind screamed at him to say something anything to make the human stay, but what? And why? The answer came as a bit of paper slipped from the folder that was tucked under Joey's arm and floated to the floor. He gasped and went to retrieve it, but Seto placed his foot onto it and swiftly picked it up first with one hand.

"What have we here?" Seto turned the paper over scanning it briefly. "She's pretty." He smirked at seeing the picture and then read _missing person_ at the top of the page and he laughed. "Run away girlfriend, is it?"

"None of your business!" Joey growled jumping up to snatch it back, but the taller male pulled it out of his reach easy enough. "Give it back! You bastard!" Seto moved it out of his reach again holding it above his head, offended by the comment, this street punk had to be put in his place.

"No wonder she ran off, you're such a bad mannered mongrel. Not only do you need a muzzle but you also need manners training." Joey glared at him as anger rose up with in him; this guy needed his ass-kicked to bring him down off his high and mighty pedestal. "But you know stalking is a crime." Seto tormented lowering his hand slightly. "Girls who say no mean it."

Joey's eyes widened then narrowed. "She's my, SISTER! You jerk!" With that he jumped up swiftly and snatched the paper out of Seto's hand, the Demon hissed letting go of the paper as he was given a paper cut in the process on his finger.

Joey feeling once again hurt, not because of the blame for his sister's disappearance, but strangely enough, that this stranger that irritated him so had caused it, tears welled up in his eyes, he blurted out. "Stay the hell away from me!" Seto's eyes widened slightly, not knowing that this human who looked from first glance, tough, in-your-face and ready for a fight, could get upset by a little teasing. Seto narrowed his blue eyes; it wasn't his fault that this human was emotionally unbalanced. The Demon watched with irritation as the human turned and basically ran from the shop.

Seto sighed he sure as hell felt guilty maybe he should have been a little nicer. He suddenly noticed the disapproving looks he was receiving from the few people in the café, _wait a minute since when did a lowly human make him feel that way? And when was he ever nice?_

"Sir, your order is ready." Came an unsure soft voice from behind him.

"Keep it!" Seto snapped at her without looking and stormed out of the shop and stepped out onto the street and looked about for the idiot, there not to far away he saw the retreating back of the blonde. Seto jogged after him, he wasn't going to be blamed for the punk being upset. "Stop!" Seto called out when he was close enough, most of the people on the street got out of his way. "I said, stop!" Seto grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. "First off! I didn't know she was your sister."

"I know guys like you." Joey poked him in the chest forcing Seto to take a step backwards. "You're all the same, you wouldn't know what an apology is if it walked up and slapped you in the face with a cold wet fish!" Joey shoved his shoulder, but Seto didn't move this time. "But go ahead!" Joey was just so angry that he shoved the Demon again. "You know what?! Keep going with sugar coated bullshit and I'll pretended to care." With that Joey stepped around him and went to walk off, but was grabbed again by his arm, Joey looked at the hand, narrowed his eyes and looked up into ice blue eyes.

"I wasn't apologizing!" Seto narrowed his eyes further.

"Then leave me alone!" Joey yelled at him pulling his arm free with a growl, he stumbled backwards slightly; a small crowd had stopped to watch. "Forget you!" Joey hissed out at him as he turned to walk off, the small crowd parted for him.

"I can't damn it!" Seto shot back, shocking Joey and himself. The human stopped and the people parted even more watching the exchange between the two. The Demon growled out as if it was this idiot's fault. "You're in my head, as much as I hate it, you are." Joey's eyes widened and he shook his head disbelieving what he was hearing and took a step back.

"Oh, of all the sick jokes in the world yours just took the cake and the trophy." He stepped backwards again, insuring his escape. "What the hell do you want with me?!" Seto was speechless for the first time and he couldn't answer, what did he want with this human?

"Just as I thought." Joey, this time managed to walk away, leaving the man without a name standing in the street and the crowd staring at him.

Seto ran a hand through his hair and sighed, he knew he would be seeing that human again. The Demon glanced about and noticed that he was being watched and he rolled his eyes, humans were so nosey. Seto turned on his heels and walked in the other direction he had come from, he had a meeting to go to tonight and he had to get ready for.

* * *

Yami walked up the path to Yugi's front door, whistling a small tone to himself, the day looked to be a good one, despite the heavy storm clouds hanging above him that made everything grey, but nothing was going to ruin his date with Yugi or put him in a bad mood. However, Yami stopped his whistling and frowned as a teen burst out of the front door mumbling angrily under his breath. As he passed Yami their shoulders connected, the Demon Lord growled at him for his rudeness, but he was unnoticed by the other.

Yami watched as the strange human almost kicked the small gate down and walked off down the street. Had Yugi gotten into a fight with that the human? Yami wondered and found himself a little worried for the human. He quickly took the few steps up to the door and had to jump out of the way as Marik stormed passed him, that was surprising, and his question was answered, it wasn't Yugi…but Bakura and Marik that had pissed the human off. "Marik?!" Yami called out as the larger Demon walked by him without sparing him a glance.

"Not now!" Marik snapped at him as his crimson eyes flashed angrily as he kept going. Yami walked up to the door and stopped just in front of it watching as the Demon mounted his motorbike and kicked it into life.

Suddenly the door swung open with such force hitting Yami in the back of the head and knocked him to the ground in Malik's hurry to stop Marik. The smaller Demon ran down the steps. "Marik, stop!" Malik called out as his mate placed on his helmet, their eyes met for a second as Marik looked away and took off down the road.

"What is going on?!" Yami called out to no one in particular, he lifted his head and groaned placing a hand to his forehead and lowered his head back to the hard ground.

"Yami?!" Malik rushed up the few steps and knelt down beside him. "What are you doing down there?!"

"I though the view from here would be really nice." Yami sarcastically replied.

"That was you I hit with the door?!" Malik's eyes widened, he had thought it might have been Honda. "Sorry." He mumbled.

"It's okay I was standing in front of it anyway." Yami moved his hand away from his forehead.

"Here, I'll help you up." Malik straightened up and then helped Yami to sit up and then stand.

"What's all the… Yami?!" Yugi gasped as he too rushed over to help Yami as well. "What happened?" He asked worriedly.

"I kinda hit him with the door." Malik winched guiltily as he placed Yami's arm around his shoulder.

"Kinda?" Yami raised an eyebrow at Malik.

"I was in a hurry." Malik glanced at where Marik and the motorbike had been sitting not more then five minutes ago. Malik could feel that there was something seriously bothering Marik, he wanted nothing more than to run after him and demand to know what it was.

They walked inside and Yugi looked up at Malik and said. "I can take care of Yami from here." The human blushed and looked away, Malik smirked as he let go and stepped back.

Yugi led Yami into the living room forgetting that's where he had left Ryou and his friends, the three stopped at the door and saw Bakura with his arms wrapped around Ryou and talking to him softly, that Yami and Malik couldn't hear what he was saying, not that Yami would listen in on such a private conversation, Malik on the other hand walked over and Bakura stopped talking and looked at Yami then Yugi with narrowed eyes, Ryou looked as well just as Malik sat down behind them on the couch. "Sorry, we'll go else where." Yugi said as Yami just shrugged at Bakura.

Yami and Yugi turned to leave but the small human stopped to ask. "Ryou, where's the ice-pack and painkillers?" Bakura's frown deepened as he looked at Ryou questioningly, _why would my mate need that stuff?_ Bakura thought, then glanced at Malik, but saw the Demon look away as if he knew nothing; the pale Demon narrowed his eyes, so Malik knew something and he was going to find out what.

"I'm not sure." Ryou bit his lip and shifted a little in Bakura's arms. "You could try the kitchen."

"Thanks." Yugi said as he walked out of the room with Yami's arm over his shoulders.

The two walked into the kitchen and Yugi pulled out a chair for Yami to sit on. "Wait here." The small human said as he went to dash off, Yami reached out a hand and grabbed Yugi by the wrist to stop him.

"I'm fine, really I don't need anything." Yami said taking the seat.

Yugi's eyes widened. "A hit like that to the head must have hurt."

"It wasn't that bad." Yami insisted as he rubbed the back of his head feeling a slight lump there. The Demon lord looked up to see a bright smile on the human's face and Yami couldn't help but smile also; Yugi's smile was always seemed contagious. "Glad to see my misfortune makes you happy." Yami teased.

"Oh on." Yugi shook his head still smiling. "I find it funny that we keep meeting under such circumstances." Yami raised an eyebrow and Yugi felt the need to explain himself better. "Well the other night you saved me from a thug. Which by the way I still have to pay you back for." And to Yami's surprise not only by the words but also by the wink Yugi gave him. "And today you get hit on the head, which places me as your savior."

The human was just too cute for words and at how much Yugi seemed to care about him, which made Yami's heart beat faster in his chest. "Is that so?" The Demon said his tone low and smooth and with a swift move he was on his feet, natural crimson eyes locked on to wider ones. "Then it should be me thanking you now."

"B-but I haven't done anything yet!" Yugi stuttered, as Yami forward and forced Yugi to back up and within a few short steps his lower back hit the counter trapping him as Yami placed his arms on either side of the human's body and lent in.

"You have done more then you realizes." Yami almost purred his eyes flickered down to soft kissable lips.

"But…" Yugi's words were cut off as Yami lifted his chin up sightly.

"Kiss me."

"Huh?!" Was the strangled sound answer, did he hear right? Yugi closed his eyes, sure he had thought about kissing Yami quite a few times since the incident, but was this moving too fast?

"I said." Yami lent in more their lips almost touching as the Demon breathed out. "Kiss me." He pulled back and those soft lips met his almost instantly, as Yugi did indeed kiss him and wrapped his arms around his neck.

Before Yami could do anything the almighty bad timing for an interruption. "Yugi, I have to go out!" Came a voice, the human gasped and leapt away looking at the door and wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand.

Yami wanted to rip out that person's tongue and make them eat it. "In here Grandpa." Yugi called out blushing brightly… Grandpa? Okay so maybe ripping out this person's tongue wouldn't go down so well.

"There you are." Came the old man as he walked into the kitchen but stopped at seeing Yami. "Who might you be?!" The Demon lord turned around blocking Yugi from the old mans view.

"I'm Yami." He said, the old man swept curious eyes over the Demon.

Yugi cleared his throat and stepped out from behind Yami with a smile. "He's a friend." Yami raised an eyebrow; he was working on becoming more than just being friends.

"Yami this is my Grandpa, Solomon."

"Mr. Tadaaki to you young man." The old man stated and Yugi rolled his eyes. "So where are you going, Grandpa?"

"Out, I'll be back later tonight." Yugi was almost bouncing in place with excitement. "So cook yourselves dinner and Yami." The old man stopped looking the two over. "You best be home before dark." The old mans way of saying that Yami wasn't really welcome until he knew him better, Yami gave a nod of his head understanding, but didn't mean that he had to follow through with it.

"Okay." Yugi bit his lip losing that excitement that he had, Yami frowned he liked that little spark in Yugi. Grandpa turned and walked through the door that he had walked through. "Well I guess it's..." Yugi turned around to face Yami again and his words died in his throat, as he came nose to nose with a grinning Demon.

"I would love to stay and keep you company." The Demon offered tilting his head to the side slightly as Yugi blushed once again and nodded his head, yes.

"W-would… you like something to eat or drink?" Yugi went to step back but Yami took a hold of his chin gently.

"I'm fine." Yami lent in and kissed Yugi on the lips briefly and pulled back, the human's eyes were still closed and sighed, the kitchen door opened again and the old man walked in pulling on his coat.

"Remember I'll be back later tonight." Solomon said as he adjusted his coat and not really seeing his Grandson and other teen in the aftermath of a kiss.

"Yeah." Yugi mumbled softly, then shook his head to clear it and turned facing his grandpa. "Sure, be careful." He warned.

"I will." The old man gave a small wave and left. Yugi turned to look at Yami who was practically purring as he now had the human all to himself, he could make this work, he really could. There was no doubt in his mind now that Yugi would become his Mate.

* * *

Later that afternoon Joey walked into his apartment and not so much in a bad mood that he had been in before when he ran into that jerk this morning. A stop past his favorite store had washed away his bad mood and the new video games he brought along with a really good lunch, a little shopping and he was back to his normal self again. His apartment was open spaced, with joining living room, kitchen and dining area; it was airy, bright and tidy. The whole area was a bright orange from the rays of the setting sun that poured in through the glass door that lead out to the small balcony.

Joey closed the front door and locked it, placing his bags onto his dinning table, the phone started to ring next to the couch. Joey sighed toed off his shoes and walked over pressing the speaker button. "Wheeler, here." He said and waited.

"Hi Joey." He froze at the voice looking down at the phone. "I know that it's been a while."

"Mom?!" Joey lent on the couch and picked up the phone to hear better, his heart thudded in his chest; he hadn't talked to her for about a year now.

"I'm just calling because…" Her voice trailed off.

"Yeah, what is it?" Joey asked, was she asking to come and live here with him or had she forgiven him? His heart leapt into his month as he felt a little bit of hope rise, he knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help it.

"I have a business meeting in town... well as you know I'm not in the country and I'm not going to make it." Joey's heart sank to the pit of his stomach. "So could you go and see him for me, you know the business part, right?"

"Yeah." Joey's voice was strained, she still hated him and he knew it. Serenity was always the apple of their eye not that he was jealous of her. He just saw the change in his parents after she went missing.

"Great! It's at the Blue Jay tonight at seven, it's a dinner meeting, so dress smart and you'll be seeing a Seto Kaiba." Joey didn't bother to write it down, he knew this Seto Kaiba would be some old guy with way too much time and money on his hands, oh he was so looking forward to it, he thought sarcastically.

"Mom?!" Joey gripped the phone tightly; pushing the thoughts out of his head of the decrepit old man he was having dinner with tonight. "I was wondering… when were you or dad coming back to town?" Joey let out a soft breath of nervousness and added. "Ya know, I miss you guys and thought it would be nice to get together, maybe for thanks giving or even Christmas this year." He had never been so lonely in his life.

"Oh heck, Joey, I'm so run off my feet right now, but I'll send you something real nice, but don't let me down with this meeting, get him to sign everything, okay? Bye." Joey pulled the handset away from his ear as the dial tone came and stared at it. He placed it down on its base and fell into his back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Tears started falling, when was he going to be forgiven? It wasn't like he kidnapped his own sister, he was just late due to detention, but it didn't matter to them.

Maybe if he did this business meeting for his mom, then maybe she would see how great he still was and she'd come home. Joey sat up, how bad could one meeting be with some old rich guy? Joey ginned. He could get the old Kaiba drunk have him sign off on the paper work and be out before eight and who knows maybe if he did a good enough job his parents might ask him to come work for them.

Joey jumped up to his feet with new found enthusiasm and rushed for the bathroom. "Watch out Seto Kaiba! You have never met the likes of Joey Wheeler."

* * *

**TBC**

Hehe, the up coming chaps are going to be fun and should be very interesting so **R&R** me.


	15. Chapter 15

If you read at the end of the chap it's where I do most of my talking so you can get on with the reading faster, O.o that's if any of you read this stuff, any enjoy.

**Warning**: M and Yaoi, There is a **Lemon **towards the endof this chapso if don't like it or easily offended by it then **DO NOT READ**!! Flames will be used to toast my marshmallows.

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Chap 15**

* * *

Joey walked up the few steps that were covered in red carpet that spread out through the whole restaurant. He nodded a small greeting to the elderly couple that where standing on the steps, they too smiled and both raised their glasses to him. Soft instrumental music played from somewhere inside. "Joey?!" Said a curious voice of a short rather round man on all sides, walked up with his arms held out wide, wearing a white suit and gray hair cut short around the side of his head and the top half bald and shiny.

"Good evening Mr. Ashino." Joey said as the man shook his hand and placed and the other on the teen's shoulder with a welcoming smile on his face, Mr. Ashino's dark blue eyes seemed to light up. "Where have you been?" The man asked, the hand that was on Joey's shoulder clasped over his hand as the man lent in a little. "It doesn't matter. Are you keeping well?" Gray brows frowned slightly with worry. "We haven't seen you here for ages."

"I know." Joey grinned guilty and rubbing the back of his head. "Been busy… being me." The older male laughed good-heartily. Joey started to eat here once a week when his parents left, and the elderly couple took a liking to him almost instantly and invited him around for meals at their own personal table.

"I'm glad you have shown up." He lent in even more looking up and whispered. "I tell Mrs. Ashino now that you have turned up. You missed your meals with us twice this week, she's been worried about you." Joey frowned as his hand was let go of and a tightening in his chest at the words, they worried over him more then his own parents ever did.

"I know, I have meant to come in."

"Come my lad, a hot meal and…"

Joey stopped him by saying. "I'm here on business tonight." He felt even guiltier as the older mans face fell a little but then another smile broke out again.

"Well, I'll have to fix you up a table then." Mr. Ashino nodded and turned on his heels and walked to a small upright table that held an open book a small phone and pens.

"Maybe you can tell me if he is here yet?" Joey walked after him leaning on the small table. "A Seto Kaiba."

"You're having a dinner meeting with Mr. Kaiba." Mr. Ashino raised an eyebrow surprised.

"Yeah, I'm not to happy about it… but I was asked to."

Mr. Ashino nodded his head in understanding and looked over the open book. "He arrived about fifteen minutes ago." Joey rolled his eyes; Kaiba must have thought he was meeting a woman, arrived early to invite her for drinks and maybe something more afterwards. He had heard stories from his mother when she had meetings like this and how the men always put the moves on her. Well this Seto Kaiba was going to get a shock, as Joey Wheeler was no woman and tonight would be all business. "Come along, Joey I'll show you where he is seated."

"Thank you." Joey followed him through the room, everything was red, despite the name of the restaurant being called Blue Jay, the only thing that wasn't red was for the table clothes that were white, holding lit candles, crystal glass and fine china with silverware. This place was more for couples on hot dates that could afforded it and those who would be proposing to girlfriends, families were hardly seen here with small children making this place ideal for meeting and quite dinners. Joey personally he liked the café or a good burger and would never tell Mr. or Mrs. Ashino that in fear that they would have his head for eating such horrid food.

Joey watched the older males back as he was led through the restaurant and towards the back, glancing about to see couples sitting about the room eating and talking softly to one another, the soft sound of cutlery hitting the plates and the music gave the restaurant a warm and do he dare say it… a romantic atmosphere. Pity really that he was meeting someone on business instead of someone with more intimate interests.

"Mr. Kaiba, Joey Wheeler is here." Mr. Ashino said in a rather business like tone.

"I'm meant to be meeting a Sono Wheeler." The tall male narrowed his ice blue eyes at the incompetence of this man, how hard was it to get a name right. Seto had taken the best table in the house that was a small table for two near the window and the perfect view of the dark city that was lit up by lighting and ocean on the far side.

"I hate to tell you…" Joey's words died in his throat as their eyes met and he was confused and shocked, but the anger rose up within him and he blurted out rather loudly. "YOU?!" Making everyone around him that was in earshot look at him for a moment before going back to their meals. Seto stood up frowning slightly not showing his confusion on why the idiot was here.

"What are you doing here?!" Seto asked irritably, now was not the time to be fighting when he was meeting someone on a business matter.

"Me?! I'd just asked you the same thing?!" Joey lowered his voice to hiss and stepped closer to the table leaning on it. "Are you stalking me now?!" Mr. Ashino looked rather nervous but didn't say anything; he would only step in if he was needed.

"I have a meeting with Sono Wheeler." Seto turned his narrowed eyes to the short man. "This is not the person I'm meeting with tonight."

"I'm here on behalf of my mother." Joey glared at Seto answering before Mr. Ashino could. "I'm Joey Wheeler."

"Please, I'm not doing business with you." Seto sat down and crossed his arms over his chest as he took in the human's appearance and damn he looked rather good dressed up and smelt it too, Seto shifted in his seat a little, this mating season was killing him and it hadn't really started yet, but if it kept him going like this when mere humans are looking and smelling good enough to bed, he might just have to kill himself first or end up taking one.

'_But it wouldn't be a total lose, he is rather good looking.' _Seto frowned as that annoying voice came up from nowhere as it always did. '_I'd say gorgeous really, no harm no foul in looking, is there?' _Seto narrowed his blue eyes even more. '_How long has it been since you had company in your bed?'_ The voices seemed now to be mocking him. _'Too long I'd say and the human's got a lot of spark.'_

"Good!" Joey's voice cut in snapping Seto from his thoughts. "Because I'm not doing this and you can go to hell!" He glanced at Mr. Ashino. "Kaiba here will be eating alone and I hope he chokes on it." With that Joey went to leave.

The Demon spoke up. "I'm sure your mother won't be to pleased that you brushed me off, this is an important matter." Joey turned around glaring, he was right and if Joey wanted to get back in his parents lives again he would have to do this. The tall Demon stood up once again and held out his hand over the table. "Lets start over." He smirked, Joey knew there was something more behind that sly grin and he would have to be on his toes for the night. "I'm Seto Kaiba." Joey gave him a look of distrust. "Come on, I hate to half kill each other over insults and on an empty stomach." Seto said not moving his hand at all.

Joey reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the papers that needed to be signed and slammed them down on the table, making everything jump and rattle he pushed them towards Kaiba. "Stop playing around and just sign them, so I can leave."

"I'll sign them." Seto took the papers folded them and placed them in his breast pocket of his black jacket. "After we eat." The human was about to explode with pure rage.

"I don't have the appetite or the stomach to eat with the likes of you." Joey seethed.

Mr. Ashino placed a hand on Joey's shoulder. "It might be for the best to take the dinner invitation and get it over with so you don't have to see him again." The older male moved away. Joey ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh, what harm could come of having something to eat and a little talking? Taking Kaiba's hand and shaking it, he could do this, an hour tops and he was out of here.

"Joey Wheeler." The teen said again and Seto nodded his head and let go of his hand and sat down.

"Lets eat before business, shall we?" Joey nodded his head and he reluctantly took a seat across from Seto; Mr. Ashino clicked his fingers and a waitress rushed over and gave them both a menu and stood there waiting to take their orders, Mr. Ashino nodded as all seemed well and walked to the kitchens. Seto glanced up at the waitress. "A bottle wine." He glanced at Joey from across the table. "You drink?"

"No not really." The human lifted his head, Seto smirked again and told the waitress what he wanted for his meal and Joey soon followed on what he wanted. _This was going to be interesting indeed_, thought Seto as he watched the human.

* * *

"You bring your little human to me… I can tell you everything you need to know." Marik looked up from his drink at the pair of big dark brown eyes watching him. The demon nodded his head still not sure that he should even consider this. "But what your asking me to do could kill him… if the soul has been restrained like you said." She lent forward. "It'll be painful." She stood up straight again brushing her light blonde hair over her shoulder. The former Soul collector, De, sighed looking the length of the bar over. She had been cast out of her realm for taking souls for her own use and forced to live with humans; she was good for information and ran the bar for those like themselves. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Marik drank down the rest of his drink enjoying the slight burn in his throat afterwards and placed the glass down with a few notes. "Yeah." The Demon stood up.

"You are aware that me doing this could kill him."

"I know." Marik turned around.

"What will you tell the others, Marik… should he die at your hands." The said Demon stopped, if Bakura only knew what he was doing, the Demon would leave him and maybe Malik along with him, he felt sick suddenly, was he self-destructing his own relationship like a time bomb for the sake of finding out what he might already know to be true? He growled the sound rang out in the empty room; he had to know for sure he couldn't just except that it was Ryou, like Malik and Bakura had.

"That's my business, you just do yours I'm paying you well enough." Marik turned around and grabbed the unsuspecting Soul Collector by the front of her white work shirt pulling her forward over the bar. "So keep your mouth shut!" He let her go and stormed from the bar.

Outside the old worn down building it's lights suddenly lit up the front announcing that it was open for business, lighting up half the dark alleyway and Marik's path out of there.

Marik pulled his black leather coat around himself more to block out the chill of the night air. "Of all the places I have looked, I found you here at the trash end of our world." Came a soft females voice from behind him and Marik stopped knowing just who it was. "But then again you are trash, Marik."

"What do you want? I'm not in the mood." He said without turning around, he glanced up at the rooftops and saw shadows moving about, she always came with numbers and always left empty handed.

"Now, this is really good." Her tone was smug as she stepped out of the shadows as if she had won whatever she came here for without anything really happening and Marik turned around to face her. "You're drunk off your face, that killing you will be a lot of fun."

"Let me disappoint you." Marik smirked his fangs shone in the low lighting and his eyes brightly flashed crimson. "I'm very much straight minded."

"Then I can have all gloating rights when I take your head."

"You can try." Marik looked Ishizu's slim body over, wearing tight black leather, boots and weapons, where she was hiding them on her body he would never know and didn't want to know, her hair tied back, she was ready for battle.

"We do this song and dance every time!" She sounded agitated now.

"And you're a really poor singer." Marik's smirk widened.

"Just hand yourself over to me." Ishizu placed her hands on her hips. "And I'll let Bakura and Malik live." If she could just kill him then Malik would be easier to get to and Bakura… well she could just kill him at any time after that. She grinned maybe she wouldn't kill him, the lose of a few more lovers would have Bakura spiraling down the road of depression that killing him wouldn't be a challenge and suffering the lose would be more fitting for the Demon… but then again she should turn that idea and use it on Marik. Take Malik, wipe his mind clean, kill Bakura and leave Marik to wonder the world for eternity, loveless, lonely and pathetic like he was.

"You spit out plans so easily, Sister." Marik looked over his shoulder as Malik walked out of the shadows and towards him, the Demon should've have know that Malik could find him anywhere. "And yet to for fill them." Malik stopped a few feet away from Marik and added. "Even the small army that walks with you and you still fail."

"Because you use underhanded tricks." Ishizu shot back.

"Tricks?!" Marik snapped at her. "You're the one that comes in numbers." Marik could hear the soft sound of the crossbows being set and aimed ready to shoot them.

"All I'm after is you, Malik." She held out her hand for him to take. "I'll let Marik live if you come with me now." She took a step forward, Marik growled and stepped to the side, his wings spread out hiding Malik from her view, she frowned at Marik and continued with what she was saying. "I can rid you of your Demon half, you'll have your life back you'll be human again."

Marik didn't need to look at Malik he knew what would be said, a hand was placed on Marik's shoulder as Malik now stood at his side. "Ishizu, its my human half that loves Marik and it's my Demon half that's mated to him and allows me to live out my life with him." Well it wasn't what Marik had in mind that should have been said, his would have been more colourful.

"You're stupid and have always been foolish, Malik." She took a step backwards.

"When are you going to get it through your thick head!" Malik yelled at her, knowing she was going to make her move soon. "I don't remember you, I know you're my sister but that's about it." Marik placed his hand on Malik's chest and gently pushed him backwards while he kept his eyes on the witch, she was mumbling a spell of some kind under her breath he could hear it, would it be aimed at him or Malik? "I can't be what you want…you have tried to kill Bakura and Marik, even me and most of all you killed Ryou." His voice trembled a little at the words like it always had when he spoke of Ryou's death.

"It was justified." She snapped still taking small steps backwards, as soon as she was covered over with the shadows, Malik gasped and fell to his knees as pain shot through his back Marik turned pulling Malik up to his feet and wrapped his arms around him and placed up his shield as his wings lifted them into the air, arrows and daggers flew at them from all angles and bounced off the shield and they were soon out of range.

"Damn it!" Malik hissed as the pain slowly subsided. "My wings." Malik held on, his arms wrapped around Marik's neck and he looked up to see Marik watching the city far below them. "I can't use them."

"It's okay, I'll get you to Seto and he'll break the spell." Marik turned and headed for home, but out of the dark clouds ahead of them came Ishizu's right hand man, Shadi. Fake wings of yellow light sat just above his back a few inches unmoving, with a sword drawn in his hand.

"Weapon?!" Malik asked.

"My belt." Marik said as he tucked his wings to his back and sides and barrel rolled them to miss the swinging sword, Shadi cursed and turned and shot after them as Marik moved at full speed. Malik moved his hand and went for Marik's belt feeling about for whatever weapon he had, Marik held his mate to his chest his arms wrapped around his waist and back, Malik found it and pulled out a small dagger.

"This is it?!" Malik asked warping one arm around Marik's neck again.

"I wasn't planning on getting into a fight today and I left my better daggers in my other pants." Marik turned sharply to his right watching every move that Shadi was making and trying to avoid him but it was hard when he had Malik to think of.

"Look out!" Malik gasped, Marik looked ahead of him just in time to see Ishizu had gathered an energy ball and threw it at them, it hit with such impact that it broke the shield that Marik had up around them and then something rammed into them and Malik and Marik lost their grip on each other and Malik fell with such an alarming rate.

"Malik!" Marik had made a grab for him but had missed and went to go after him instantly watching his mate's wide and terrified eyes as he vanished through the almost black clouds, but Marik was grabbed and pulled back as Shadi and Ishizu made a full on assault, Marik had no choice but to defend himself.

Malik plummeted towards the ground he shut his eyes tightly as the world tilted and spun about. "Can't leave you two alone for more then five minutes." Malik opened his eyes as arms wrapped around him slowing his fall and the heavy_ whooshing _sounds of Bakura's wings working over time to slow them both down.

"It's about time you got here." Malik held onto him relieved as Bakura's wings angled upwards to land and their feet touched down on grassy ground, Bakura turned to take off when Malik grabbed his arm. "Don't leave me behind."

"I can't fight or help Marik if I'm carrying you." Bakura said as he took the small dagger that Malik was still holding.

"But they're hurting him." Malik had never felt so useless, but with wings bound he couldn't fly to help.

"I know I'm going to stop them." Bakura took off into the air, in the direction that Malik had fallen from.

The clouds cleared and there just ahead was Marik wounded and fighting them off, the two witches moved about him with such speed using energy to tear at his body.

Bakura charged at them unnoticed, knocking into Ishizu and sent his own energy ball at Shadi, the two fell as the fake wings vanished from their backs, Marik too started to fall until Bakura grabbed onto him pulling the male to his body. "You really know how to find the fun."

"I'd hate to have you bored." Marik winced as he fought to stay conscious.

"You like it when I'm bored." Bakura looked about, he sensed magic being used and Shadi came up from the clouds again and threw a dark energy ball at them, Bakura moved out of the way taking Marik with him and as he did, Ishizu was at his back, Bakura hadn't let his guard down but had been distracted which allowed her to get so close to him.

She whispered something in his ear for a second smirking, Bakura growled as angry tears burned his eyes. "Die Demon!" She hissed out loud in his ear as she brought the sword back and stabbed him through the back it angled upwards and the end came out just under Bakura's chest and wounded Marik as well, but not as badly. Bakura screamed as she then pulled the sword from his body.

"NO!" Marik yelled and before he could react, Bakura let him go and turned pulling Ishizu to his body in bruising force.

"You first!" Bakura hissed out as he pulled back his hand and plunged the dagger into Ishizu's stomach, she gasped grabbing onto his hand and grinned at him as blood dribbled from her lips.

"If you only knew." She laughed but then started to cough, Bakura screamed in her face as the words she whispered to him still rang in his head, she deserved more then this much more. She had pulled a dagger and ran it across Bakura's throat to make him let go, instantly the blood flowed and he let go of her, both hands over this throat as blood ran from between his fingers and he started to fall.

Marik used what little energy he had and went after Bakura and grabbed onto him, he placed his hand tightly over Bakura's hands to help to stop the bleeding.

Malik gasped as he watched his mate and Bakura land far to heavily on the ground for his liking. It took Malik more the five minutes to run to them. And once seeing the two covered in blood and Marik leaning over Bakura with both their hands over Bakura's throat, Malik panicked and didn't stop, he slid to a stop and knelt down looking him over with wide tearful eyes. "Hold on Bakura." Marik said, ignoring the pain that shot through his own body from the wounds. Malik grabbed at the top of his left shoulder and ripped the sleeve off and warped it around Bakura's neck with Marik's help. "It's not deep." Marik mumbled, but that didn't stop Malik from worrying or crying. "Lets get him home?!" His voice broke a little he wasn't going to lose Bakura like this.

* * *

Joey slightly stumbled out of the lift but was grabbed onto by Kaiba to steady him on his feet. "I think the… wine, went to me head." Seto smirked. The two had a few drinks after their meal and a light conversation, they had tolerated each other for about four hours, the human seemed tipsy on his feet and Seto offered to drive him home, well had his limo drive them here after Joey gave up his address reluctantly.

"If I had known you couldn't hold a little wine I would have given you milk." Seto too felt the effects of the alcohol but he stood on his feet better than the human, it wouldn't' do for a business man like himself to be drunk just after a few glasses or a few bottles of any kind of alcohol while at dinner meeting as a lot of his clients liked to drink.

Joey smirked as he approached his apartment door and pulled out his keys only to drop them, he went to retrieve them but Seto beat him to it as they both stood up coming face-to-face and stared at each other. "You know." Joey said leaning in more. "I'd go for someone like you if you weren't such a jerk." Seto was a little taken off guard by the comment, and more so as Joey lent in and kissed him and his hands did a little groping of the taller males rear end. Demon growled and moved Joey back he hit the wall lightly.

"Don't!" Seto hissed at the human as he opened the door for him at first he wanted to take advantage of the human to ease his heated need, he hadn't changed his mind but didn't want the human blabbering his big month to the wrong people that he Seto Kaiba forced himself on someone else. Such a thing could ruin him.

"Why, aren't I good enough for ya?" Joey asked walking to stand in the doors threshold, he had a crush on Kaiba since he had laid eyes on the tall male and tonight he had been somewhat charming once Kaiba put away the obnoxious, I'm better then all, attitude.

"You're drunk." Seto narrowed his eyes feeling the all to familiar heat rise in his body and Joey was looking just to damn good that he might not be able to control himself if the human kept going weather Seto wanted it to happen or not.

"I'm not." Joey said arguing the point, he could stand on his own feet and he knew his name, where he was and whom he was with. Seto pushed him inside the apartment, closed and locked the door behind him he pinned the human to the wall. The Demon had watched the human all night and he had taken all he could and he had had enough, he moved his hand down and cupped the human's length through his dress pants, Joey gasped out and grabbed onto his shoulders eyes locked.

"Do you know what you're about to get yourself into, human?" Seto seethed in his ear and taking it between his teeth, again the human gasped out. "Give me consent." The Demon asked, already undoing Joey's pants and his hands were deep inside and Joey's mind was even foggier but it felt so good that he moved his pelvis into the hand that now worked him.

"… Yes, but it's my…" Joey gasped as he was pulled from the wall and lifted up, his legs wrapped around Seto's hips as he was carried.

"Bedroom?" Seto asked he worked his shirt off and Joey's and attached his lips to the human's neck. He kneaded flesh that was under his hands as he walked down the small hallway, only two doors to pick from.

Joey gasped out and pointed. "That door." The said door just to their left and Seto kicked it open and before Joey knew it he was dropped onto his back on the bed and his pants were being pulled off. Now Joey started to panic a little as Seto removed his own and crawled onto the bed. Seto's eyes flashed crimson, Joey jumped a little knowing that eyes didn't do that not that he had seen, his heart sped up.

"This is not a mating, understand?" Seto hissed as he grabbed onto Joey's hips and pulled his rear end towards onto his lap.

"What?" Joey now thinking it might not have been a good idea as his mind started to clear all on it's own. "Wait!" Joey gasped out and tried to move away as cool slick fingers entered his body, Seto held him in place as his fingers worked the muscle and had brushed over something inside and the human threw his head back moaning. The heat itself had taken over and there would be no stopping.

Seto was moving to fast for him but he couldn't bring himself to say it, his body wanted it to much now, suddenly a white hot pain shot up from his lower half and Joey cried out and gripped at the sheets, as Seto's body was out of his reach. The Demon grunted at the tight heat that surrounded his member. "It gets better." Seto grunted out ignoring the tears and sharp gasps coming from the human under him, not giving Joey anytime to adjust he pulled out and plunged back in. Were the words meant to be comforting? It sure as hell didn't sound like it for Joey.

Seto's hands moved over Joey's body, running down his side over his chest and down his stomach to rested on the hip in such a grip that it would leave bruises by morning. The Demon changed angle and a moan escaped from the human's lips and a few more thrusts from Seto and the pain started to subside like he had said. Joey starting to enjoy it a little more, needing more contact then just their hips, he reached up and touched Seto's chest to find the skin burning and slick with sweat as he ran his hand over the tight chest muscles. Seto growled at him his fangs bared for a minute, Joey pulled his hand away and the Demon lent in over him a slight purring came from deep within his chest, people didn't make such noises. Joey's mind through out any other thoughts as he gasped again and came the Demon grinned and followed soon after.

Joey slumped to the bed as the Demon let him go and he was panting for needed air his chest heaved up and down as he glanced up at Seto, who still had that same hungry look as before. The human yelped out as the Demon lunged forward and grabbed him again and flipped him over face down on the mattress and his hips pulled up. "We are far from finished." Was the animalistic growl from the Demon.

Joey wide eyed, grabbed onto the sheets though it was rough but it felt good all the same, not what he had in mind when he gave the invitation, Kaiba wasn't cruel but just cold about what they were doing.

* * *

Seto slowly opened his eyes and focused on the strange surroundings, where was he? And more importantly who was on top of him? And why were they both naked? He looked down and saw the human laying on his chest fast asleep. _Oh no, they didn't did they?_ The last thing he remembered; was helping a half drunk Joey into his apartment. Seto glanced about and spotted a clock glowing at him brightly from the nightstand next to the bed, it was three in the morning.

The Demon moved the human off him without disturbing him from his sleep and got out of the bed, finding his clothing on the floor and within a few minutes he walked out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, dressed quickly. Pulling out the papers that had started this night and he had yet to sign, Seto left them on the table on his way out.

* * *

**TBC**

Okay the Joey/Seto thing wasn't meant to be all fluffy if that's what you are after, more to come, I'll have to read through the House of Motou and find out where I have to get back on track again, which would be in a few more chaps. **R&R** me people.


	16. Chapter 16

YES! Readers this is the chap that will put us back on track or me O.o and I just thought that when I read over this, ahhhh…….. Okay enjoy.

**Warning**: M and Yaoi, so if don't like it or easily offended by it then **DO NOT READ**!! Flames will be used to toast my marshmallows.

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Chap 16**

* * *

Joey slowly opened one eye but then closed it instantly as the light was too bright and it gave him an instant headache, he moaned. Joey buried his face back into the pillow and pulled it around his head, he ached all over, what had gotten into him last night? Besides too much wine, he knew he shouldn't have had those shots as well on top of it. Wait! Joey lifted his head looking over the spot next to him; his heart jumped in his throat as Seto was… but then his heart plunged to the pit of his stomach and he felt sick… he wasn't here. That jerk left him like some cheep one-night-stand.

Joey let out a long moan into the pillow and then pushed himself to sit up. The light sheet fell to his hips as he looked about; nothing in his bedroom told him that someone else had been here last night. But that's how it always was, no one was here, no one was interested in him. He sighed, he never felt more disgusted with himself for what happened last night, to allow himself to steep so low to sleep with someone that didn't give a shit about him, Kaiba took what he wanted and most likely left right after he fell asleep or when Seto had finally allowed him to sleep.

Joey growled well that was going to be the last time that Seto Kaiba was going to get anything more from him, but maybe a punch in the face. Joey sighed but it didn't stop that stupid feeling that Seto might have cared a little about him by morning, after all it was Seto that had said that he couldn't stop thinking about him, so why would he run off before morning?

He knew he didn't have a good track record at making the best decisions in the world but who was, it's what he gets for sleeping with someone he didn't know. What would he have done anyway if Seto were still here in bed with him? Joey pulled the covers off his body. It would have been nice to wake up next to the person that had taken you for the first time, and oh how Joey felt cheep and used.

Suddenly a ringing came from his nightstand, he glanced over to see the cordless phone sitting there and the clock that read 7am, and Joey debated on if he should go to school. He reached out for the phone, taking in a sharp breath as pain shot up from his lower back and before he could say anything. "What did you do?!" Came the shrill voice of his angry mother.

"What?!" Joey slowly stood up but had to lean on his nightstand as his legs felt like giving out on him, biting his lip to hold in the gasp; sore joints and muscles popping back into place.

"I just received a call from Mr. Kaiba." Joey paled somewhat, had Seto blabbed to his mother what they had done last night? The teen shook his head Kaiba didn't seem the type to do such a thing, no Kaiba was the type to use you then forget about you.

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?!" She was yelling at him now. "He's not interested in the proposal. I needed him and now we could be ruined because of, you!" Was it because of what they had done? "Now I'm stuck with looking for someone with the same…"

"I have to go." Joey mumbled into the phone cutting her off, right now he just couldn't for some reason listen to her, normally he would take what ever conversion she would throw his way, but not today.

"Don't you hang up on…" He pressed the button on the phone, then he dropped it onto the bed, he needed a shower, he could literally feel his own skin crawling on his bones.

He limped out of his room and down the short hallway into the bathroom, the walk to the bathroom made Joey feel every ache in his body. Once inside the bathroom he opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out the painkillers, taking about three. He turned on the cold water placed the small tablets into his mouth and placed his hand under the tap and cupped up some water and drank it down and lent on the basin as he coughed.

Closing the mirror door he glanced up and his eyes widened. "What is that?!" His voice partly panicked as he leant in, to get a better look, and there on his right shoulder was a dark round bruise, but what shocked him the most was he could make out a name, a little hard to make out but it was there, Seto. Joey ran his fingers over the bruise, how the hell did that guy mange to get his name on his skin? If Joey saw him again he was going to choke the life out of him, how dare that bastard brand him like owned cattle or a bit of property.

Joey lent in more looking it over closely, was it a tattoo? It didn't feel like a bruise… if anything it was itchy as hell. He would have remembered something like that; maybe it would go away in a few days, he was hoping and glad that he could cover it up with a shirt.

Joey turned around to look himself over in the full-length mirror that was tucked away in the corner of his bathroom. "Crap!" Shocked at seeing his body lined with bruises, where Seto had gripped onto him, leaving behind finger marks, they were everywhere on his arms, hips, shoulders and his thighs. It might have been a good idea that Kaiba wasn't here, because Joey would have killed him already.

* * *

Ryou called out. "Bye Grandpa!" And he closed the door just as he heard the old man call back bye, when he had gotten up this morning Yugi had already left the house with Yami. Grandpa hadn't been too happy on the matter but had let it go.

Ryou soon walked in through the gates of the school and spotted Yami and Yugi talking to each other in the student's car park. He bit his lip as he debated whether or not to go over there, but suddenly found himself looking for Malik's motorbike, but then Yugi spotted him and waved him over.

"Hey, sorry I didn't wait for you." Yugi chippered as Ryou approached them; Yugi was wrapped up in Yami's arms happily, the two had gotten somewhat close in the last few days.

"It's alright." Ryou gave a nod greeting to Yami, who looked lost in his thoughts suddenly, Ryou just turned his attention back to Yugi. "Your Grandpa is freaking out about you and how you left this morning." While Ryou ate breakfast the old man had droned on about Yugi and this new friend of his.

"He was?" Yugi sighed, knowing full well that his Grandpa would have a problem if he knew Yugi's preferences for dating only males.

"Yeah, he's worried about you." Ryou shifted on his feet.

The chimes went off and everyone headed inside, Yugi turned himself around in Yami's arms and kissed him, Ryou blushed turning away and walking towards the building, feeling rather uncomfortable standing there and watching. "Ryou?!" Yami called out as Yugi moved himself out of Yami's arms and started to follow his friend.

Ryou turned around as Yugi came to his side, both looking at Yami as he opened his car door. "Malik said he's not coming today, but you're welcome to come see him."

"Is he sick?" Ryou asked concerned taking a step towards Yami.

"No, I don't think so." Yami got into his car and called out. "He just wanted you to know."

"Come on Ryou, we're going to be late." Yugi said tugging on his backpack and waving at Yami, watching as he pulled out of the car-park and drove off down the street.

The two rushed off down the hall to their lockers pulling out needed books and hurried to class. To their surprise half the class was missing, Joey included. "I wonder what's going on?" Yugi said as he sat down, Ryou slid in next to him also looking about.

"Come to think of it the hallway was quite empty." Ryou mumbled back.

"That's because of a sickness that's got everyone at home and in bed." Ryou shivered at the voice and gripped onto his books as Yugi turned around in his seat and looked at Honda, who was sitting behind them leaning back in his seat with his feet up on the desk.

"What kind of sickness?" Yugi frowned then added. "You're not in our class." Honda just rolled his eyes.

"The flu." Anzu said as she sat down across from them, Yugi and Ryou looked at her. "Half the faculty and students are off sick." She said pulling out books and placing them on her desk. "Most classes are being joined up because of the low numbers."

"It should be a quiet week then." Ryou said wondering if that's the reason Malik wasn't here, but Yami had said that he wasn't sick, then was it Bakura who was sick? Ryou twisted the pen in his hand as he felt nervous that it might be something more serious to keep Malik at home… maybe it was Marik and Bakura that were sick and Malik had to stay home to look after them, Ryou bit on the end of his already chewed up pen.

"We should go and see if Joey's okay." Yugi said and Ryou nodded his head knowing that their friend lived alone.

The day had been slow and as soon as class was dismissed Yugi had vanished. Ryou waited at his locker for a few minutes but the hallway was eerie without all the students running about. Shaking off the feeling Ryou decided to leave and as soon as he stepped out of the doors it explained why Yugi vanished, and there lent on the car was Yami holding Yugi and in a full lip lock kiss, it was kind of funny to see, Yami was holding Yugi up against him and his short friends feet dangled off the ground. They both pulled back to grin at each other and Yugi was placed back on his feet, then getting into his car and soon they were off down the street.

Ryou shook his head and pulled his backpack over his shoulder more and headed to Joey's, as it looked like Yugi had forgotten about him.

Ryou made the trip over to the other side of town on his own to the apartment building that Joey lived in. Taking the lift up to the tenth floor and down the hallway to the end, Ryou knocked on the door and waited. He frowned and knocked again and waited… nothing happened and it didn't sound like anyone was moving about inside. Ryou called out Joey's name through the door and knocked again and waited, still nothing happened he backed up away from the door; maybe Joey had taken something and gone to bed.

Ryou sighed if that was the case then he didn't really want to disturb him, he would call around tomorrow and see him.

Ryou was soon back on the street and heading for the mansion, it wasn't to far away from Joey's place which was a good thing, but the walk home later would have him walking it in the dark, maybe one of them would give him a ride home. Suddenly he was bumped into. "Watch where… Bakura?!" A woman jumped back away from him looking around confused and a hand in her jacket.

Ryou only stumbled back a little and glanced up at her, to see long back hair and tanned skin, she was pretty for an older woman. "Sorry, I didn't see you." Ryou pulled up his backpack again that had slipped from his shoulder looking her over.

"Bakura?!" She asked not to sure, still looking about for the other two.

"No, I'm not… but you know, Bakura?" He asked, was she a friend of theirs? She had used Bakura's name as if she knew him.

Her look of twisted confusion was still on her face, the kid was small in size and his hair less wild, if this wasn't Bakura… then.

"….Ryou?!" Her shocked tone now matched Ryou's look. "It's you, isn't it?… those bastards!" She hissed glancing about as if looking for someone and curiously walking up to him, her eyes taking in ever inch of his body. "It's so good to see you… _again._"

"I'm sorry." Ryou shifted on his feet and gripped the strap on his shoulder from his backpack, trying to recall if he had met her at one point, not coming up with anything, he asked. "Do I know you?" She laughed stopping right in front of him but still on guard.

"You should know me very well, my dear.." Her tone changed and warning bells rang off in Ryou's head telling him he should run and run fast, his heart pounded in his chest painfully.

"I, umm, don't…" He stumbled over his words as he backed up; she matched his steps.

"It's fine." She said almost snapping at him as she waved a hand at him to silence him. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Ishizu." She grinned and added. "Malik's beloved older sister." Ryou's back hit the wall and he looked up at her, there was something about her that had his blood run cold, but was she really a threat of some kind? She made him feel so nervous. She was close enough to run her finger down his cheek and across his neck, her blue eyes following her own fingers as they ran over pale skin as if seeing something she mumbled. "Amazing… simply amazing." Her grin grew as her deep blue eyes stared right into his light brown ones.

Ishizu was almost giddy with her new find and had a hard time containing it. This would be so much fun to kill him again in front of them, slit his throat? No she shook her head, it had been done before. Use a spell on him and turn him against Bakura as her own little pet and have him kill himself… oh the possibilities were endless. She frowned as a thought came, did Bakura and Marik know that Ryou was alive? This thought had placed a damper on things and wouldn't be as much fun to kill the little trollop if he wasn't screwing them.

"I'm on my way to see Malik now." Ryou bit his lip, as her eyes seemed to sharpen as they narrowed and that smirk grew, should he have said that? He got the feeling that he really shouldn't be talking to her at all, but she had said that she was Malik's sister.

_So they were all together again_, Ishizu thought with a un-lady like snort. Figured they would be, it wasn't like Marik could live without his little harem, he was such a pig. "If you wanted to walk..." Again she cut him off.

"No my dear." She lent in, Ryou turned his head away slightly fear crept up on him more, when he could feel and smell her mint breath wash over his cheek. "You can give Marik and Bakura the little message for me." Ryou's eyes widened as Ishizu kissed his cheek almost lovingly and pulled back, what was with everyone wanting to touch or kiss him?

"The message would be like a… stab to the heart." She smirked as she lightly tapped him on the chest right where his heart sat, Ryou looked at her confused by her choice of words, if such a message would hurt Bakura and Marik in such away, he didn't want to give it to them. "Don't worry, dear, you have the message already, give them my love." She winked at him and smirked. "We shouldn't meet again." Ryou watched as she turned and walked away and vanished within the large group of people that walked by.

Wait?! What was the message? What did she mean he already had it? She hadn't given him any message, was it the kiss on the cheek? Ryou still confused and a little shaken by the strange woman, he pulled himself away from the wall. She was an odd woman, he'd give her that… but still she was Malik's sister and it was best that he should be polite to her, and hope he wouldn't meet her again.

Marik walked down the stairs his destination was the kitchen, for drink demands from Malik and Bakura, but as the doorbell rang out, he sighed and headed for the door. He was hoping to spend a quiet night with Malik and Bakura cuddling up on the bed and watching movies for most of the night.

Bakura who had been resting up for most of the day and had healed quite nicely, thanks to Kaiba who showed up just before Bakura bleed himself into habitation and would have died very soon after.

Malik had stayed home and spent the day watching movies with them curled up in Bakura's bed and even though Bakura slept through most of them, Malik didn't seem to mind and settled for snuggling up to him and Marik, trying to easy the horrid feeling of almost losing him in last nights battle, though Malik hadn't said anything about his sister, Marik knew that he was upset with what she did. Malik never said anything about wanting her dead; Marik knew that when the time came to kill her, Malik wouldn't want to know and didn't want to be around.

The Demon pulled open the door to find Ryou standing there, his cheeks were flushed and he was out of breath, had he ran all the way? Marik wondered and couldn't help but feel that something was a little off with him. "Come in?" Marik opened the door more and Ryou thanked him as he stepped inside.

"Yami told me it was alright to come over." Ryou took off his backpack placing it out of the way beside the door so he wouldn't forget it when he left to go home and opened up his dark blue jacket.

"You're always welcome here… but Bakura is a little under the weather today." Marik turned and walked towards the kitchen. "You want something to drink?"

"Yeah, it's hot in here." Ryou fanned his face briefly with his hand, Marik looked over his shoulder watching the human. "Oh, I ran into Malik's sister on the way over, Ishizu." Ryou wiped at sweat that was now on his brow and his head spun a little, was he getting sick too? Just the mention of the name made Marik's blood boil, he stopped walking and turned around, Ryou too stopped and looked at him. "She said that she had a message for you…" Ryou flapped the ends of his jacket to get the cooler air in to his body. "But she never gave me one… she sends her love though." Ryou undid the top few buttons of his white school shirt.

"Did she say anything else?" Marik was right in front him now, his tone worried, as was the look on his face. "Did she say anything at all that you might not have understood?" Marik grabbed onto him and pulled him closer, Ryou stumbled slightly but Marik's grip on him stopped him from falling. "Did she hurt you?!"

"No, a little. I don't know. I'm hot, is it hot in here? Are you hot?" Ryou rambled a little; he couldn't seem to concentrate on what Marik was asking or how strange it sounded. Marik placed his hand on Ryou's forehead and a scolding look, the human was burning up, his cheeks flushed red, _this was not good, _she did something to Ryou and the human as the _message_ from her, nothing good could come from her knowing that Ryou was alive.The human gasped as Marik pulled his jacket off and then ripped open his shirt the buttons flew in all directions, Marik pulled if from his body.

"Malik!" Marik called out, Ryou was feeling to weak to fight against him or worry about his clothing, he was left standing in his dark blue pants. The Demon swept him up in his arms and carried him upstairs, noticing that the human's skin was basically on fire.

"Marik." Ryou whimpered, his face almost buried into Marik's neck. "I don't feel so good." The Demon growled, Ishizu could have killed him today and they wouldn't have found out for a few days. Marik's insides just rolled and tightened him making him feel sick at the thought of not seeing Ryou again.

"I know my love, I'll make you better." Marik said just as Ryou passed out, that witch was going to pay. The thoughts surprised Marik somewhat but he pushed it aside for now until the human was fixed up.

Malik came out of Bakura's bedroom in a hurry, stopping in his tracks as Marik came up onto the top floor carrying an unconscious Ryou in his arms. "Run a cool shower, Malik." Marik ordered, the smaller Demon dashed back into Bakura's bedroom and into his bathroom and ran the shower.

"What's going on?" Bakura asked, then seeing Ryou and how he was, he got up out of bed and followed Marik into the bathroom. Malik moved aside as Marik walked in and stepped into the shower still fully clothed and with Ryou in his arms. Marik placed the human down on the bottom of the shower and turned the showerhead onto Ryou soaking him instantly, Bakura and Malik lent in to watch what was going on.

"Ishizu sent us a _message_." Marik hissed out taking the soft washcloth and wiped at Ryou face and brushed the wet hair from the human's eyes.

"What?" Malik said, this was twice in two days that woman made a move on his loved ones and tried to kill them. "Is he going to be okay?" Malik's worried words and matched what Bakura was thinking.

"Nothing life threatening yet." Over the centuries of fighting against witches Marik had gained some knowledge of their spells and knew what he was looking for. "Thankfully this message might be just a warning on how serious she is."

Bakura mumbled a few words under his breath and moving closer and hissed out loud enough for the other two to hear. "That bitch!"

Malik lent the side of his head against the tiled wall of the shower and watched them silently for a minute. "Are we going to have to stop seeing him?" They knew that it was because of them that Ishizu targeted their human; she always went after the weaker ones in the clan. No one said anything and the only noise in the room was the sound of running water, Malik growled that loud that it bounced off the walls, it was something that he rarely did. "I'm not going to stop seeing him because of her." Malik snapped at them.

"No ones saying that, Malik." Marik looked up he too was now soaked.

"No, but you're thinking it." Malik hissed at him fangs bared.

"What else is there to think?" Marik turned his attention back to Ryou. "We have no way of protecting him… Making him stop seeing us might be for the better." He mumbled.

Malik's eyes burned with tears as he looked at a solemn Bakura, turning his eyes to Marik again and said. "If he has to leave then so will I!" Malik pressed his lips together in a determined battle of will; Marik calmly looked up at him and gave him a hard glare as if daring him to do it.

"Malik, don't say such stupid things." Bakura mumbled and wrapped an arm around him and pulled the smaller to him and placed a kiss to the side of his head and Malik gratefully accepted the hug and buried his face into Bakura's chest.

"Fuck!" Marik growled, making the other two look at him as he shook Ryou's shoulders a little. "He's stopped breathing!" Malik moved to the side and Bakura bent down hooking his hands under Ryou's arms and pulled him from the shower, Marik followed instantly on all fours.

Bakura laid Ryou out onto the rug on the tiled floor and Marik placed his head onto the human's chest. "His heart stopped." Marik lent up and placed his hand over the chest and where the human's heart sat.

"Should I call Seto?" Malik bit his lip, they could connect each other telepathically, but it wasn't with words or like talking it was slight pressure of sound in the mind, but on humans it worked just fine, they only used it to call upon Seto or Yami if they were needed.

"No, his blocked us." Bakura was on his knees and putting puffs of air back into the human. Marik closed his eyes and concentrated on controlling short bursts of energy into the area below his hand, magic had stopped the heart so magic would start it.

"Why isn't it working?" Malik asked getting onto his knees next to Ryou.

"It will." Marik mumbled his eyes still closed and his head bowed, he was worried himself he sent shock after shock into the human and his heart wasn't starting. Suddenly Ryou gasp in air and his back arched off the floor, Marik pulled his hand away and placed his ear to the humans chest and smirked. "He should be fine now." Marik said as he sat back.

"If he hadn't come here he would have died." Malik lent forward and placed his head on Ryou's chest in a one-way hug, listening to the heart beat.

Bakura glanced at Marik and said. "Lets move him to a bed."

Marik turned off the water and a thought came to him, one that could fix all his problems and voiced them. "It might be best that we tell him what we are and let him make that discretion himself whether he wants to be with us." If this human was truly Ryou as Olly had said, then telling the human that they were Demons shouldn't be that hard for him to take in and should the human run from them then he had spared his feelings and heartbreak.

Marik grabbed the towel and started to dry Ryou off with the help of Bakura and Malik. Marik wanted Ryou to accept him for what he really was and to forgive him.

* * *

Joey turned off the t.v and threw off the blanket that was wrapped around him and stood up; he had fallen asleep on the couch earlier that afternoon, at one point he thought he heard someone knocking on his door, but when he got up to look no one was there. He though it might have been Yugi or Ryou as he really hadn't felt like going to school and facing everyone. He was feeling much better and thoughts of returning to school in the morning and getting an ear full from Yugi on not giving him a phone call, Joey shook his head Yugi liked his phone calls.

Joey turned around to fold up the blanket catching movement from the other side of the room; he jumped back with a startled yelp almost falling over the coffee table. "What are you doing here?" Joey shook his head collecting his confused thoughts and gave a hard glare. "How did you get in?"

"That's not important." Seto mumbled from the other side of the room.

"Get out!" Joey pointed to his front door angrily. "I don't want to…" He didn't get to finish as he was suddenly wrapped up in Seto's arms and kissed for a good few long minutes. Joey's mind spun on how Seto moved so fast across the room like that, but his thoughts floated away as he just about melted into the arms and kiss. Truth be told he had been missing this contact with Seto all day, yeah he was screwed up, but there was just something about Seto that Joey couldn't place a finger on.

A purr came from Seto and it snapped Joey back to earth and he used what strength he had and pushed the Demon away and wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand and still gave him a hard glare, but found after the kiss it had lost its threat so Joey covered it up by yelling at him to show just how pissed off he was. "I don't want to see you!"

"I want to see you." Seto said smoothly he had allowed himself to be pushed back and it gave him the opportunity to watch as Joey placed the coffee table between them. "I've tried getting you out of my head." Seto said his tone cold as ever as they both circled the small table in time with each other's steps. "And all I can think of is you." His eyes shone crimson in the low light and his long fangs shone as he talked.

Joey knew there was something different about Seto that set him apart from everyone else he just didn't know what. "If I'm all that you can think of then why did you leave me this morning?" Joey narrowed his eyes still keeping his distance from Kaiba. "Do you know how cheap I felt?!"

Seto feeling slightly guilty didn't think the human would mind waking up alone, as the human didn't seem to like him that much anyway…. He suddenly smirked in amusement as thoughts of last night invaded his mind. "You enjoyed it as much as I did."

Joey was furious, how dare he use last night against him, after what he did Seto should have been on his hands and knees begging for forgiveness, then Joey might have thought on giving him a second chance. "That maybe true, but it didn't give you the right to…" Joey yelped as once again Seto had managed to grab onto him and pulled him against his body and kissed him.

What was about this lowly human that he just couldn't get enough of that made him want to come here again and again? "Damn mating season!" Seto hissed to himself as he pulled back from Joey's lips.

"Get…" Joey was cut off from telling Seto to get out again, as he was pushed back against the wall and lips assaulted his neck. Joey bit his lip to hold in any sound that wanted to escape; his arms were pulled down and strapped together by Seto's belt. "What the hell!" Joey started to struggle as his arms were placed over Seto's head and he was lifted off his feet.

"You'll enjoy yourself again tonight." Seto mumbled as he attached his lips back to Joey's neck, the human pulled at his bonded wrists behind the Demon's head. Joey struggled to get free once he knew where he was being taken.

"Take your hands off of…" The slam of Joey's bedroom door drowned out his last word.

* * *

**TBC**

I'm hoping it was better a little better then the last chap and not so choppy O.o anyway **R&R** me.


	17. Chapter 17

**Warning**: M and Yaoi, so if don't like it or easily offended by it then **DO NOT READ**!! Flames will be used to toast my marshmallows.

Don't own **Yugioh**.

**Chap 17**

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Outside the mansion a storm rolled in from the ocean and let loose its rain and rumblings of thunder over the dark city. Ryou twitched and frowned he could here a woman talking then the sound of explosions and screaming, it was coming from a t.v somewhere in the room. He felt warm and so comfortable that he never wanted to move again. As he became aware of his surroundings and noticed that his arms were tangled up with others that weren't his own. Ryou opened his eyes his vision blurred as the dark room was only lit up by the t.v.

Ryou moved slightly and found his chest hurt as well as his head, how did he end up here? He lifted his head up and gasped as he turned his head and moved it and came nose to nose with Bakura. "I was starting to think you had gone into a coma." The Demon said concerned, Ryou blushed, as he was right up against the older male, the tan arms that were wrapped around him tightened and a chest to his back.

"I wish I was… my head is killing me." Ryou squeaked as a hand ran over his bare hip under the blanket, he was naked?! The only thing that made him relax slightly was the fact that no one was under the covers with him and the blanket separated his body from them, and what a flimsy barrier it made, but it was all he had and it wasn't like he was going to get up.

"You have been out all afternoon." Malik said from behind him as his hand ran up his stomach to his chest and stopped, Bakura lent his head down and placed a kiss to Ryou's heated red cheek then his lips briefly.

"All afternoon?!" Ryou blurted stopping as he felt dizzy and his chest made him short of breath.

"Yes all afternoon… but you should take it easy." Marik's tone was stern coming from the other side of Bakura; he was sitting up against a few pillows.

"But I can't… what's the time?" Ryou moved his head to find a clock but the sharp pain shot through his chest and head.

Bakura looked for him, on the nightstand was his alarm clock that Malik had brought and placed it in his room, so if Malik fell asleep in here he wouldn't be late for school to see Ryou. "It's eight."

"Oh no, Grandpa is going to be worried and Yugi's most likely going to chew me out." Despite the pain he was in he sat up. "I have to go and I might save myself from them killing me." Bakura growled at the words then sighed and pulled Ryou back down.

"Stay." Bakura kissed him again, not wanting his mate running about like he was in the dark streets. Marik had already stopped him twice now from going out and killing that Witch for what she had said to him and also for the message, oh he would leave her a _message_, when he ripped out her black dead heart and shove it into her mouth. "Stay with us tonight and tomorrow I'll take you home."

"I shouldn't I have to make a call."

"I hope you didn't mind but I called your Grandpa already." Malik said nuzzling his face into the back of Ryou's neck. "So he knows that you're okay." Ryou bit his lip as Malik started to nibble on his ear, what he didn't tell Ryou was that he got an answering machine.

"You can relax now and let us take care of you." Bakura said with a smirk now Ryou had no excuses to leave.

"I don't even know what happened." Ryou moved himself closer to Bakura and out of reach of Malik's mouth but not out of reach from his hands, Ryou's chin was slightly lifted up to meet Bakura's eyes.

"We'll talk about that soon… but first." Ryou frowned at him as Bakura grinned rather to devilishly for his liking; he ran his fingers down the human's neck over his chest and down coming to rest on his bare hip. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really." Ryou shifted there wasn't much room since Malik moved himself to press against his back, Ryou was truly trapped now, but the movements made his head spin, he groaned and placed his hand to his forehead.

"Dinner was awhile ago." Marik said from the other side of Bakura.

Bakura shook his head as Ryou's stomach growled in hunger. "Don't move I'll get you something to eat."

"You don't have too." Ryou watched as Bakura got up and shot him a glare that said not to argue with him, the human sighed giving in.

Malik wined as he was tapped on the shoulder then picked up and placed on his feet. "You're helping." Bakura said as he walked out of the room taking Malik with him, Marik sighed as he to got up and followed them, leaving Ryou to rest up, before they dropped their secret on him.

The three had gathered in the kitchen, Bakura moved about getting the plate of food ready. "I'm not sure that I want to do this tonight?" He said.

"Why not?" Marik looked up at him. "The quicker he knows about us and Ishizu the better we can protect him and us, from her."

"He'll reject us because it's to soon." Bakura growled turning away from the counter and slammed the fridge door closed.

"Because he hasn't told you that he loves you?" Marik said as he walked around the counter to Bakura and wrapped his arms around him.

"He hasn't said it and I haven't told him?" Bakura bowed his head, his hands slightly shaking. "I want it to be like it was, I want to tell him but I don't want to scare him off."

"And it can be." Marik mumbled. "But you have to talk to him first." He pulled back slightly. "If there is a slight chance that he does."

"We love you." Malik said rushing over and wrapping his arms around Bakura as well.

"I know, Malik." The Demon placed a kiss to Malik's head then to Marik's lips.

"Make sure that you do." Marik placed his hand under Bakura's chin and held it gently. "I don't want to lose you again." A guilty look passed over Bakura's face as a small whimper of a sound came from Malik and he tightened his hold.

"Remember you promised us that you would never leave like that again." Malik mumbled, as he looked up worried that the past would repeat itself again.

"If he rejects me tonight… we'll leave for England." Bakura sighed heavily as the last thing that he wanted was to be rejected by his human and have accidental _run-ins_ with each other around town and he was hoping it wouldn't come to that.

Malik's eyes widened as he looked at Marik who sighed and nodded his head. "Fair enough we'll move… but I'm sure it'll work out." Marik moved away. "Come on we have a lot to talk about."

Bakura walked into his bedroom to find Ryou watching the t.v that had been left on. "Food." Bakura said as he stopped next to the bed and sat down on the edge and placed the plate onto Ryou's lap along with a kiss to his lips, Ryou smiled at him with a thank you.

"So the three of you have been watching t.v the whole time I was out?" Ryou asked as he pointed to the t.v on the cabinet like dresser across the room, the top was lined with photos in frames.

"No, we have been watching over you." Malik corrected him as he sat down taking a spot in front of Ryou.

"I'm sorry, I had no idea that I might be coming down with something." Ryou blushed looking at the plate of food on his lap, it was mostly bits it fruit some bread and other odds and ends that were light for the stomach, Bakura was worried in case the human would only throw it up again thanks to the spell that was placed on him.

"You're not coming down with anything." Marik said as he walked in and passed Ryou a glass of water.

"I know the whole school is almost out thanks to a flu virus that's going around." Ryou placed a bit of apple into his mouth and chewed it but found his stomach did a sickly protest when he swallowed it down.

"It wasn't the flu." Bakura rubbed the back of his neck.

"Are you sure? I mean I was okay and then…" Ryou frowned as he moved the plate from off his lap. "What happened? I have no idea what happened one minute I was alright then the next, nothing."

Marik, Bakura and Malik looked at each other for a brief minute. "We have to talk." Marik said sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Are you finished?" Malik asked holding out his hand for the plate, Ryou snapped his eyes to the Demon then down at the plate still in his hands.

"Yes, I'm feeling a little sick, I'm sorry." Ryou handed the plate over hoping not to offend Bakura by not eating it; Malik took it placing it onto the nightstand.

"Ryou." The human looked away from what Malik was doing to Marik. "What we are about to tell you should not be taken lightly." His tone made Ryou's heart skip a beat and he hesitated in nodding his head, not sure if he wanted to know what they so seriously wanted to tell him. Suddenly a hand was under his chin and his head turned and tilted upwards.

"But remember at any time you wish to leave, I'll drive you home or you can call your Grandpa." Bakura said leaning in again and placed a lingering kiss to his lips hoping that wouldn't be the last of them, running his tongue long the humans bottom lip and reluctantly pulled back, Ryou was blushing slightly, yet again, as he nodded his head but stopped as Malik crawled from the bottom of the bed towards him on all fours.

"But it's also important that you listen to what we have to tell you and that you can't repeat any of it to anyone else." Malik's lower half dipped and raised and his hips swayed slightly with every movement of his knees and hands reminding Ryou of a cat stalking its prey.

Ryou bit his lip as he moved his legs apart to make room for Malik who sat down between his knees. "Do you understand what we have said so far?" Marik asked, the human glanced at him and nodded his head again.

"I understand." Ryou gave a nod of his head looking back at Malik.

"Alright, we didn't want to do this so soon but your run in with Ishizu has placed us in a state of worry over you." Marik said.

"I remember her, Malik's sister, she said she had a message for you but she never gave me one." Ryou looked at Marik as he growled.

"She gave it to you alright." Bakura said. "You just didn't know it at the time and if you hadn't of come here to us… you would have been dead hours ago."

"Are you saying she drugged me?" Ryou pulled at the blanket closer to his chest. "Because I didn't feel anything or take anything from her."

"We know." Malik said trying to easy him.

"Why don't we start with us and you then move onto her." Bakura said taking a spot at the edge of the bed near Ryou's feet, who watched every one of his movements. "Less confusion."

"You're right." Marik sighed. "It's only fair to you that you know what's going on before something happens that you don't understand." Ryou twisted the blanket in his hands. Did he want to hear what they had to say? He shifted as their eyes were on him watching him intently.

Bakura took in a deep breath; he wanted to be the one to tell Ryou so he had no one else to blame if he ran out. "We are not what you call human."

"Alright… I'll go with it." Ryou shifted a little nervously not sure what to think but _crazy_ came to mind.

"We are what you call Demons, Marik and I came from a dark realm, Malik's half Demon, Marik turned him to save him from dieing." Okay, now Ryou was thinking they were mental patients that had escaped? He glanced at Malik who gave him a sad smile as if he knew what he had been thinking.

"We were shocked to find that every so often you were reincarnated, we never looked for you but Malik always seemed to find you and we tried to get your memories back so you would remember us… but you always." Marik glanced at Bakura, as did Ryou.

"What? I always what?" Ryou knew that he should just laugh and tell them they were crazy and leave, but something in him made him stay and listen to them like he needed to know himself.

"You always died." Bakura said looking at Malik adding. "We stopped trying after a while, none of us could keep seeing you go through that." _Torture_ was another thought Ryou had.

Malik let out a breath he had been holding and said softly. "We just wanted you to remember your past… remember us and what we once were."

"And what was that?" Ryou felt tears burn his eyes and his throat tighten, not sure why, but what he did know was that he was confused. Bakura ran a hand through his wild hair, as he looked at Ryou wanting to touch him and pull him into his embrace, but knowing if he did it might have the human running from him.

"Happy." Marik mumbled almost sadly as if he recalled every memory. "We were so happy together… we were family."

"We want it back, we want you back." Malik reached out his hand to take Ryou's but he pulled his out of reach, Malik left his hand were it was and his face fell even more looking ready to cry, if that was possible… hurt by the rejection of just wanting to touch.

"Demons." Ryou said looking at them in turn but stopped at Bakura as the word rolled about in his mind, it didn't sound as strange to him as it should have, Bakura's eyes were hidden by white hair. "So you killed those people in the alleyway that night?" Now that blanket seemed far to thin and he felt so vulnerable under the covers, he couldn't leave if he wanted to.

"I didn't kill them, I left them alive." Bakura said still not looking up, he couldn't stand to see what look might be on Ryou's face right now, would it be the look of disgust, fear and rejection and he was waiting for the words. '_I want to leave now.'_

"I watched the news on it, they said they were drained of blood, are you Vampires?" The myths of the blood-sucking race came to mind from books and movies he had watched.

"No." Marik said glancing at Malik who had yet to take his eyes off his hand, it looked promising that the human hadn't run away yet maybe he was the real Ryou. "We only need a few mouthfuls of blood to keep our strength and powers, we don't kill those we feed from." He said as he looked up at Ryou adding. "But that never stops a Vampire from coming in after us and kill what we left behind as an easy feeding, its happened many times before and we get the blame."

Bakura seemed to snap out of whatever he was thinking and looked up. "We aren't blood violent monsters in the night looking for helpless victims." Bakura moved forward a little. "Sure we have killed before but that's because we have been protecting a loved one or to defend ourselves against those that wish us harm." Bakura was now sitting closer his hip touched Ryou's outer thigh.

"We're just not human." Malik was almost in tears looking up from his hand. "We are males just like you but with _add-ons_." A small smile broke free on his lips as it did on Ryou's but it soon faded.

"You want to turn me into something like you? Is that what you are trying to tell me?" Ryou looked at them still taking this all in and wondering if he should take this seriously like them or just run. Ryou sighed as he ran a hand through his hair as he realized that's all he had been doing lately was running when things got to tough for him or out of hand.

"I wouldn't turn you unless you were sure it's what you wanted, and even then I would be reluctant to do it." Bakura said as he reached out his hand and taking Ryou's hand. The Demon's heart skipped a beat as Ryou didn't pull it away as he had done with Malik, was the human accepting them even with what he now knew? Bakura tightened his hold on Ryou's hand a little and concerned on why the teen hadn't run out yet.

"I am just finding this hard to believe that's all." Ryou said. "It's not every day that you find out that your boyfriends are not human but Demons and there are Witches and Vampires in the world." He knew he should think they were crazy and he should call a hospital and have them admitted for life, but a constant nagging feeling in the back of his head was telling him they were telling the truth.

"Would it help if you saw us how we really are?" Bakura let go of his hand as Ryou just looked at him; did he really want to see? What if nothing happened? Should he pretend he sees whatever they want to show him?… Ryou ran a hand over his face in frustration; he didn't know what to think or say of this situation.

Suddenly large black feathered wings spread out, flapped once ruffling slightly from being bound for so long and folded against Bakura's back and his hands lengthened like claws his once dark eyes shone crimson. Ryou just about screamed and scuffled away not caring he was naked, he got around Malik and bumped into Marik. He was a little scared and shocked that they were telling the truth, how was this possible? There would have been sightings and people talking about them on t.v and the radio, some kind of word that they had existed in the world.

Marik wrapped his arms around the human to prevent him from falling off the bed and hurting himself. "I can't." Ryou started to gasp for air and he gripped onto Marik's arms this was too much to take in.

"Just calm down and take a deep breath." Marik instructed as Ryou panted heavily, Bakura crawled back onto he bed and towards Ryou. Malik had hung his head and was crying to himself, Bakura knew he could tell and placed a kiss to Malik's head as he passed by to comfort him.

"We love you, Ryou." Bakura said his eyes were dark brown again and glimpses of fangs between soft lips as he talked. The teen abruptly stopped breathing, and the room started spinning as he looked back at Bakura, did he hear, right? Not once in his life had he heard such words come from another person and aimed at him, at him! And after all this time it took a Demon of all things to say the words he so desperately wanted to hear. "Can you find it in yourself to love us?" Bakura asked his wings vanished from his back.

Ryou let out his breath that he had been holding and his voice trembled. "You love me?" The pale Demon nodded his head as Malik looked up wiping his tears away. "Me?" Ryou pointed to himself not believing it.

"Yes, we love you." Malik said as he crawled forward a little he reached out again to take Ryou's hand and smiled when it wasn't pulled away from his contact.

Bakura said. "We have waited for you for so long to come back into our lives to be a family once again." Marik looked away he didn't realize that telling this human what they knew could be so painful and he now needed to distance himself from them to think. They all were shocked when Ryou threw his arms around Bakura's neck and kissed him.

"I love you." Ryou said tearfully and a little overwhelmed by it all, whether it was the lack of oxygen or what had made him pass out before, he knew that he could be with them as long as they would have him. "It's going to take some getting use to." They only had a few seconds as Malik wrapped his arms around Ryou in a hug then cupping his face with one hand.

"Really?" Malik asked a big grin on his face. "You're going to be with us? You're okay with it?" Without them noticing it Marik moved Ryou from off his lap and onto Bakura's, the three were to wrapped up in each other.

"Yes." Ryou blushed as Bakura pulled him against his chest and kissed him, Marik smirked as he got up, maybe he had this all wrong from the start and Bakura and Malik were right and this was Ryou, Marik walked out of the room, he could now throw his plan forward.

* * *

**TBC**

I know that this was already written out kind of, but it was so hard to do, don't ask why it just was, but I hope it was better, much better… so **R&R** me readers it makes me oh so happy.


	18. Chapter 18

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, so if don't like it or easily offended by it then **DO NOT READ**!! Flames will be used to toast my marshmallows.

I just don't own **Yugioh**.

**Chap 18  
**

* * *

_1889 England._

An old man pulling his horse and a cart behind it rattled loudly along the pebble road as they walked by. "Best be getting to an Inn, Sir." He said glancing up from his hunched position as if it would help keep the cold out. "It's going to rain soon." He started to hack like coughing and glanced in the same direction as the tall figure was looking in. "Death stalks these street enough without the likes of you wanting to join them." He waved a dismissal hand and kept on going.

The cloaked figure stood watching the graveyard from where he was, true he had wanted to join the dead a while ago and he went as far as to seek it out, throwing himself into dangerous battles where casualties were so high that he could feel death grip, and reject him. Placing him back into the living world, it seemed that Death didn't even want him.

Everything changed when he received a visit from Yami who he hadn't seen in over fifty years with word of Bakura's whereabouts. '_He's in London.' _The Demon lord had said, a twitch of fingers and a flutter of his heart in interest and hope.

'_I don't care, they abandoned me.' _It didn't mater how much venom and hatred he put into his words he didn't believe it and neither did Yami.

'_He's hurting, like you. If not more.' _A flash of crimson eyes in the poorly lit room of candlelight. _'He's killing himself, not feeding, not eating, taking anything to his bed that's willing take his money.'_ Yami's tone had held a disgusted edge to it.

'_I. Don't. Care.' _Was the warning hiss from the darkest corner of the room where not even Yami's eyes could penetrate to see the Demon he was speaking with.

'_You cared at one stage… What happened to you?' _Yami shook his head and said what could very well have ended his life. _'Did Ryou's death truly rip you all apart that you would sit by and watch the ones you love die before you?'_ A snarl that reminded the Demon lord of a savage animal, was his only reply. _'Bakura needs you now, Marik. They both do.'_

'_Get out!'_

'_I know you think they abandoned you, but they haven't.' _Yami daringly took a step forward, the wooden floorboards groaned under his feet. _'You're stronger than this, than them. You're the only one who can bring them back.'_ The sound of the door opening and light filled the room but it still didn't touch the darkness that Marik took refuge in. _'Bakura will die without you.'_

A small drop of rain fell followed by many more, bringing Marik from his thoughts and passed conversation from about four months ago. He glanced about as he crossed the road and entered the graveyard. If he was the one to fix it and bring Malik and Bakura back to him, then he would.

Walking the now muddy pathway through the rows of headstones, looking for the one person he knew dwelled in such places. "Olly." Marik hissed out his clothing getting soaked by the minute he was out here. "Olly!" Marik called impatiently.

"I hear you." She snapped as she stepped out of what looked like a dark black fog and approached him, wearing a long black cloak like Marik's with the hood pulled over her head making it harder to see her face. "What do you want? I was in the middle of dinner."

"Hold up your end of our contract." Marik said, when Yami had come to see him with the news a few months ago he had called upon Olly for this contract.

Olly pulled the hood off her head and her eyes lit up and she licked her lips dry. "Yes." She drooled out the words and grinned this was the best deal she had gotten in a long time. No Demon or human for that matter had ever called upon her to complete a deal that had been made. "I found the body." She clicked her fingers and Marik was unprepared for the same black fog appeared a few feet off the ground, and from it a human boy about the age of sixteen fell out of it and into a puddle of mud. He gasped and rolled over confused wide brown eyes and a mess of white hair with pale skin, dressed in only a ratted nightshirt.

"What?!" He scuffled backwards, splashing the muddy water about and over himself as he snapped his eyes to and the other and back again.

"Ryou." Marik breathed out the name, just a whisper really and the human heard it, he felt his inside shake as his knees wanted to give out, how was this possible the boy had been dead for years, he hadn't been ready to face anything like this, to face Ryou in the flesh.

"I-I." The human in the mud stopped moving chest heaved and tears welled up in his eyes, Marik just took to staring right back not sure what to do. The human got to his feet and ran in the opposite direction of the two. Marik glanced at Olly as if she should do something, but when she started to laugh hysterically he knew that she was playing around with the both of them.

The human had made it to the other side of the graveyard and to the high stone fence that blocked his escape. "No!" He screamed hitting the stone fence wall with a fist and looking desperately around for an exit, not knowing why he was here or how he got here. Marik ran after him, this had to work or everything would be lost.

The human ran along side stone fence, hoping to find a way out in the dimly lit night, there had to be a way out. He spotted the front gate vaguely but wasn't relieved just yet as he ran towards it as fast as he could, knowing that for some reason they wouldn't follow him out into the street, night time or not. He just placed one foot onto the walkway, relief washed over him as he had gotten away from the nightmare inside that dreadful place.

Marik caught up grabbing the human about the waist and chest and pulling him back into the graveyard to where Olly was waiting for them. "NO!" He screamed and kicked his legs, fighting to get free as he saw the street get further and further away, hoping to be heard. "Someone help me!" He screamed out again.

"Stop it!" Marik hissed holding him tighter and placed a hand over his month to silence him, even though no one was about at this time of night or in this weather, it was safer to be cautious than foolish.

Marik placed the human down on his feet in front of Olly and held onto him; frightened tears ran down the humans face but were washed away by the heavy rain. He was still trying to talk despite that he couldn't be understood, most likely begging to be let go. "Shut up!" Olly snapped at him swiftly approaching with a raise of her left hand over her shoulder to slap him.

The human let out a muffled screamed and flinched away; Marik stopped her by grabbing her wrist in mid swing and shoved her away, protecting the human. "Olly, stop this and complete the deal! Are you trying to frighten him to death?"

She just rolled her eyes and took a step back away from them and closed her eyes. "A soul." Her lips turned into a grin that Marik was growing to hate every time he saw it on her face, then her lips rapidly moved to a chant or spell that only she knew, but the sound of the rain around them drowned out any volume she might have used. The human stopped his struggling and watched the woman in front of him. He yelped as a gust of wind picked up and the rain was heaver and a thick fog moved in covering the ground and hiding their feet.

The human in his arms started to trembled violently against him his eyes widened and he started to talk again but his mumbles was mixed with sobs and tears, Marik guessed he was still asking to be let go. "I'm so sorry, but this has to be done." Marik tilted the humans face up towards his and placed a kiss to his cheek hoping to ease him. "But we need you." The human let out a sob and shook his head the best he could in the tight grip on him, with an arm across his chest pinning his own arms to his sides and a hand holding his head and his body pressed to the chest of the other, he couldn't move.

Olly snapped her eyes open as the wind died down and the rain lightened up a little and the human fell limp in Marik's arms. "Done." She said rather happily with a clap of her hands.

"What did you do?" Marik turned the boy in his arms to face him so he could see better, the boy looked only to be asleep.

"Ryou's soul has been placed as asked." Olly said walking over to them. "This _life _that he had here is gone from his mind as if it never happened." She stopped, brushing her wet hair from her eyes and face. "He'll remember his last minutes before he died the first time around." She grinned at the boy. "If anything happens to him, Marik." She licked her lips dry tasting the rain on her own skin. "He won't ever return again. His soul will be forever gone." To their surprise the human moved so quickly, his hand flew to his neck and the other shot out and slapped Olly hard across the face, sending her backwards on her ass in the mud, she had instantly placed a hand to her now burning cheek.

Marik held him again stopping him from escaping thinking that it hadn't worked until the human in his arms opened his eyes and said in a tearful voice. "I'm sorry, I couldn't stop her."

"Ryou?" The human's eyes seemed to focus on him for a second and he stopped his struggling, Marik's heart pounded in his chest as he loosened his hold when the human went completely still and relaxed a little in his arms. "Do you know who I am?" They locked eyes for a minute.

"Master." He mumbled, just the word alone made Marik's heart beat painfully faster in his chest. "I'm dead, she… she took me and killed me?" Ryou pulled his hand away from his throat and looked at it confused, as not to find his hand covered in blood, as it should have been, in fact he felt okay, why? He had been forced onto the battlefield by the Witch and as she had promised slit his throat in front of them.

"No, you're not." Marik couldn't hold back his happiness of seeing the other and this deal he had made with Olly had worked. He lent forward and kissed Ryou on the lips as he gently took his hand in his, keeping it simple as Ryou didn't respond to it. The pain and sorrow of losing the human had slowly started to melt away with each second of the kiss, the Demon finally pulled away leant his forehead against Ryou's with his eyes closed and said. "I brought you back."

"How?" Ryou mumbled, Marik just shook his head, not believing that this had worked and his beloved human was alive again.

Marik was reminded of the bad weather around them when the sky rumbled with thunder. "Later." Marik stepped back a little, Ryou waved on his feet at the loss of support that Marik unknowingly was giving him, taking off his black cloak and wrapped it around the boy and pulled him close picking him up in his arms. "Lets get you dry and warm."

"I want Bakura." Ryou mumbled into his neck as he raised his arms to wrap around Marik's shoulders and clutched onto him.

"I'll take you to him soon." Marik had just remembered about Olly and looked down to where she had been sitting in the mud and found she had vanished. He smirked and was glad that she had left, but it wouldn't be the last time he would see her. "Come on, Bakura and Malik have been missing you and it's time to get them and bring them home."

Marik had taken Ryou to an Inn just outside of town and the only place that would take them in so late at night. Marik bought a room for the night and ordered food and drink to be brought up, paying a little extra for the services to the greedy old man and woman that ran the dank, poorly kept Inn.

The room held a single bed with stained but clean fresh rags for sheets, a small table acting as a nightstand and dresser on the other side next to the window, holding a large bowl and water jug for washing, the floor boards groaned and creaked under their feet. Ryou stood in the middle of the room as Marik rubbed his arms trying to get him warmed up again, the humans slight blue lips trembled as he shook from being wet and cold. "Lets get these off." Marik started to remove his wet nightshirt and Ryou didn't fight him or ask what he was doing and hung it up to dry. Marik had to fight the urge to jump the human and take him right here on the hard floor or even the bed, oh he wanted to so badly. Too long had he spent his nights and days alone hunting down Bakura from city to city.

The food and drinks soon arrived but Ryou didn't touch any of it, he seemed lost in thought and unfocused as if walking about in a dream, did he really know where he was? Did Ryou know that he was back from the dead? He just looked so disorientated. "I'm tired." Were the two words Ryou had spoken in about an hour, Marik nodded maybe he needed time to adjust.

"A good night sleep and we'll ride to the next town and see Bakura." Marik said taking off his own wet clothes and hanging them up around the room to dry through the night.

Ryou nodded and shivered as he ran his fingers over his mark and looked down, as Marik hung up his cloak. "Where's my mark?" His voice slightly panicked, Marik turned around as the boy kept looking at his shoulder and running his fingers over the area as if it was only hidden from him and would come out if he rubbed it enough.

Marik walked over and stopped his hand taking in his and sighed this just might he harder then he thought if Ryou only remember the time and events before his death and how he was no longer connected to Bakura in such away was going to hurt him. "It's gone." Marik said noticing how Ryou never blush at his naked state like he always did, was it something to worry about?

"Gone!" Ryou looked up his eyes still wide as he shook his head disbelieving what he was hearing. "Gone!" He sounded panicked, upset and close to tears; he pulled himself away from Marik and out of his reach. "Where is my mate?!" He yelled at the Demon, Marik rubbed the back of his neck. "Where is he?!"

"You have been gone a long time, Ryou." Marik watched, as Ryou seemed to become more confused and flustered with not getting his answer.

"I want my mate, I want Bakura." Ryou took a step backwards and stopped when the backs of his legs hit the bed almost tripping him over onto it.

Marik ran a hand through his hair he had to tell him, it wasn't something he could keep a secret. "Bakura's not… Bakura's not your mate anymore, he hasn't been for years."

"You lie!" Ryou shot back instantly with a choked sob.

"I'm not, I brought you back because everything is falling apart." Marik shot back at him clutched his fists at his side as everything Yami had said to him not to long ago, ran through his mind. "Bakura needs help, he's not himself right now."

Something seemed to snap within him as his eyes became more focused but he was still so confused about everything, nothing made sense to him and the only one that could wasn't here. "What have you done, Marik?!" Ryou screamed at him. "What spell have you placed on me?!" Marik rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Ryou in a tight embrace.

Ryou fought against him swinging his arms to hit him to get him to back off, but failed as Marik grabbed them and pinned them to his sides. "There is no spell." Marik tried to calm him down.

"I hate you! I hate you for lying to me. I hate you for taking Bakura away from me. I hate you, I hate you!" Ryou managed to get free and with each word he hit Marik on his tanned well-toned chest, each hit weakening. The Demon taking the hits letting the human wear himself out, but each word had hurt him more then any blow he had received in his life. "I hate you." Ryou sobbed out, landing one last weak hit to a solid chest. "I hate you." He whispered out as he slumped against Marik clutching onto him and wept.

Marik lifted his chin gently glad when the boy didn't resist him. "Don't fight me." Marik placed a kiss to tear wet lips, he could hear and feel the pounding heartbeat within Ryou's chest against him. Marik pulled back a little as the boy's voice broke as he whispered out in a breath. "Where is he?" Ryou felt that his mind and body would explode, he needed to feel grounded, safe, comfort and loved and all that right now and the only one that could do all that was Bakura himself.

"You'll see him tomorrow, I promise." Marik said and Ryou just let him hold him up on his feet feeling drained, confused and lost. Marik moved them both to the bed and sat down pulling Ryou with him to lay on top of him and covered them both up, Ryou snuggled down on his chest. "Sleep, we'll see Bakura in the morning and everything will be how it should." Marik had so much hope in his own words; everything was going to be just fine, they would all move back into a house, Bakura would turn Ryou and they would live happily for the rest of their lives.

Marik lay there waiting for morning that was a few hours off, too worried to fall asleep in case his beloved human that was sleeping so soundly on his chest would vanish as soon as he closed his eyes. Marik absentmindedly ran his hand down Ryou's bare lower back all the way up to his shoulder blades and back down again his other hand ran through soft white hair that had dried about an hour ago, both of them had now warmed up and were more comfortable.

Suddenly a loud creaking of floorboards in the hallway came and stopped instantly, Marik lifted his head and looked at the door to make sure he had locked it and narrowed his eyes. His hearing sharpened as he listened trying to work it out, was it a latecomer looking for a place to sleep like Ryou and himself. Marik watched as a dark shadows passed under the gap at the bottom of the door moving too fast to be human, followed by another and a few more, whatever it was it was running back and fourth in the hallway.

Marik raised himself up on his elbows to get a better look; Ryou's head fell slightly from his chest off to the side a little. A bang came a few doors down and a scream from a female that was silenced; Marik turned his head to the wall that the end of their bed was sitting against, when something banged heavily against the wall shaking the bed slightly, it was time to leave. The wall behind his head shattered with a sickening sound of bones breaking and a whimper, something was inside the Inn and there were a few of them. "Ryou?" Marik whispered harshly and shook the human by the shoulder. "Wake up."

"Wh…?" Ryou lifted his head Marik placed a hand over his month instantly.

"Shhhh..." Marik hissed as he and Ryou both looked at the door as something heavy smacked against it and another fearful scream that was short lived, Ryou gave a soft whimper. "Get dressed, we have to leave, now." He whispered, Ryou nodded his head without a word. Ryou got up to his feet as Marik picked up his sword and tossed Ryou his now dry nightshirt and got dressed himself.

"What's going on?" Ryou asked in a whisper as Marik wrapped his cloak around him and turned to the door. He quietly cracked open the door and looked down the dark hallway, narrowed his eyes as it was empty but for the broken bits of wooden doors and blood on the floor.

"Werewolves." He hissed pushing open the door and stepped out making sure it was safe as it could be and turned slightly and held his hand out for the boy to take.

The two made it downstairs without running into anything along the way. "There's a back door, in the owners room." Marik said, so instead of walking out the front door, he led Ryou to the second floor heading to the room he was after. Marik stepped down the last step and jumped back as he found the dog like animals ripping apart a body that Marik cared not to take part in watching. He spotted the next set of stairs just to their left a few feet away from them; they would have to walk out the front door. He glanced back at the werewolves making sure they hadn't noticed their presence, making sure he had a good hold on Ryou's hand and pulled him forward, keeping them to the wall. Ryou glanced back behind him just making out the dark figures hunched over something on the floor and the sounds of crunching, he noticed what they were doing and held in his horrified gasp with a hand over his month and snapped his head back and kept his eyes on Marik's back.

Once on the ground floor Marik held out his hand for Ryou to wait as he checked out the bar, but never let go of his hand. "Come on." Marik said, as the room was clear. They made it half way across the dimly lit room when a growl came and werewolf jumped up from behind the bar and landing on top of it giving it a higher up advantage. Marik backed up keeping Ryou behind him, but he whimpered and jumped, bumping into Marik as a second one came out from behind them. Marik turned around and backed up so he could watch them both, still keeping Ryou behind him. "Hide." Marik hissed giving Ryou a light shove as he held up his sword watching the beasts that yet to move, Ryou didn't move his fear held him in place at his Masters side. "NOW!" Marik snapped at him and gave him another hard shove to get him moving.

Ryou stumbled away and looked about on where he should hide until Marik won the fight. He rushed off and crawled under a table. Marik kept his eyes on the wolves as they watched the boy. "Hey!" Marik shouted at them to get their attention off his human, they turned glowing yellow eyes on him and roared savagely; saliva drooled from razor sharp teeth stained with blood from their kill. The one on top of the bar, lunged off it and ran at him as did the other one, Marik ducked out of the way and the two hit each other head on, not to smart when the beasts were in a feeding frenzy of blood lust.

Ryou scuffled out from under the table and rushed for the front door, looking back to see Marik pull his sword out from one he had just killed only to be tackled and pulled down by the other that snapped and clawed at him, both Demon and Werewolf rolled about the floor Marik trying to avoid the snapping jaws. Ryou then ran out into the night but stopped not getting any further then the middle of the street, what was he doing?

Marik panted for air as the werewolf lunged at him again and Marik slid forward on one knee and drove his sword up into its chest with one swift move, the beast landed on him heavily. Marik had not time to rest as the Inn was full of them and the sound of the battle would draw their attention and Ryou was left unprotected. Marik jumped as roars came from above him, he shook his head having had no idea just how many there were in this one building, it must have been the entire pack, he had to get out of here and fast. He turned around and rushed for the front door and his escape, but a growl came from behind him as a werewolf rushed at him. Marik had managed to cut it down but he was growing tried and held injuries himself that slowed him down a little, two more attacked and he was at his limit, he was ready to collapse on his feet.

"No!" Came a shout from behind Marik, who was to focused on the battle that he didn't hear, as a glimpse of gray almost black fur from the corner of his eyes in the darker part of the room, a scuffling sound and a squeaking of floorboards told him another was attacking, years of battle and the Demon knew to use his hearing as well as his eyes. Marik turned at the last second and plunged his sword into its chest, but a loud metallic noise was heard, followed by a small whimper and a choked sob. Marik's eyes seemed too focused on what he had just killed, tears instantly filled his dark lavender eyes as he stared right into Ryou's no less then an inch away from his own. Words failed him as blood ran from the lips he had kissed not to long ago. "Marik?" The sound of Ryou swallowing hard to get rid of the blood that filled his month could be heard.

Marik's whole body shook with a suppressed sob as he pulled the sword from Ryou's chest and dropped it and grabbed onto him and eased Ryou to the floor, not caring that the Inn was full of werewolves and he could be killed at any moment. Marik lent right over him and watched helplessly as Ryou's body convulsed as he tried to gulp down air and clutched onto Marik's shirt, who watched as light brown eyes dulled over but still shiny from tears as Death once again took claim over what was rightfully his, Ryou's hand fell away to the floor lifelessly.

* * *

_Present day._

Marik jolted upright in the bed sweating and panting for air, Malik groaned and rolled over in his sleep and wrapped his arm and leg over Ryou's hip and chest snuggling up to his back. Marik looked down and watched Ryou's sleeping form for a few minutes; the human was wrapped up safe and sound in Bakura's arms and very much alive. Marik got up from the bed careful not to wake anyone up and walked into the small bathroom, turning on the soft lighting. He washed his face and wiped himself free of the sweat that the nightmare of that night had caused. Marik walked out of the room and downstairs into the kitchen, maybe he should rethink his plan as dealing with Soul collectors like De and the Undead like Olly it never worked out right.

Marik moved about getting something hot to drink, could he just let it go and accept the Ryou he had here with him? Bakura and Malik sure had, but they didn't know what he had done and if they knew, he hated to think what they would do to him should they find out. Marik wanted so much to be free of this guilt and forgiven for killing Ryou and it was really starting to eat at him now more than ever. He wanted to so much let loose and love the human like his mate and Bakura were doing, it was hard to do it when all he could remember was that horrid moment of time. He had to wonder when he had slipped so far into desperation that he called upon the Undead, to return to life a young boy who could save him and pull him back out of his desperation and restore him to what he once was.

"I'll give you ten bucks if you tell me your dirty thoughts." Bakura wrapped his arms around him from behind, the slight smirk in his voice. "Are you hungry?" He placed a kiss to Marik's shoulder and moved away to lean against the counter. "I could hunt with you." Bakura's tone was curious as was his look, Marik just looked so down.

"No, I'm fine." Marik had yet to look at him. "Just couldn't sleep."

"Which is happening a lot lately." Bakura said, crossing his arms over his bare chest. Marik smirked; trust Bakura to not miss anything that went on in this house or him for that matter. The pale Demon kept too close of a watch over him, though comforting the thought was but his plans would be discovered sooner or later and hell would be unleashed in this relationship. "Is something bothering you?" Bakura asked concerned.

_Yes. _Was the first word that came to mind and he wanted to say it."Not that I can think of." Marik said instead and glanced at him; Bakura wasn't buying his little lie, if he could call it that.

"Are you sure? Because you're more irritable then usual and I'm yet to see you show any interest in Ryou." Bakura quickly added at the sharp glare from Marik. "But nothing would change between us if you just wanted to keep it as a _not so hands on _relationship with him." Bakura sighed and took a step closer and kissed him on the lips and pulled back. "But there is something wrong, Malik feels it and I see it." He cupped Marik's face in what might have looked like he was going in for another kiss and said. "When did it become like this when you felt like you couldn't talk to me?" Marik looked him right in the eyes, maybe he could tell Bakura everything about what happened with Olly and Ryou, tell him everything and he would understand like Yoshie had said.

"I don't know how to tell you." Marik said as Bakura moved back a little giving him more space a solemn look on his face, something Bakura always did if he was about to get news he might not like, it gave the pale Demon room to move if he wanted to attack, Marik could read him like a book and the look Bakura was giving was something along the lines of, so there was something wrong, I knew it.

* * *

**TBC**

That took a lot, even in the original it wasn't as good as what I placed here in this chap, huh, a lot of work people, SO I hoped you liked it so don't forget to **R&R** me.


	19. Chapter 19

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, so if don't like it or easily offended by it then **DO NOT READ**!! Flames will be used to toast my marshmallows. Disclaimer is… I own nothing!

**Chap 19**

* * *

Bakura snorted. "Just tell me, it can't be that bad, can it?"

"You have no idea." Marik picked up his coffee taking a sip; Bakura narrowed his eyes as he just watched. "It's not something that just rolls off your tongue." He said as he glanced up at the pale Demon again.

"Malik's worried about you, he's holding back in wanting to talk to you, hoping that whatever it is you'll pull out of it." Bakura turned around and started to make himself a tea. "As for me I would just like to know what's eating at you."

"It's Ryou." Marik gripped the cup in his hands; he knew within ten minutes or so he would be telling Bakura everything.

Bakura wanting to vent his thoughts of his human anyway thought it best to say, as it seemed that Marik was having trouble saying what was bothering him and if Bakura eased him into conversion, Marik would be more in the mood for talking, he said. "I know, I'm worried about him too."

"What?" Marik gave a confused shake of his head, as Bakura knew he would.

"The bruises on Ryou's body." Marik couldn't pick the tone in Bakura's voice; the pale Demon looked up as he stirred his tea, making sure Marik was listening to him. "You think I missed them, when we placed him in the bed, I think not."

Marik not wanting the conversion of doom to take place just yet, went with what Bakura was saying. "You think it's his parents?" Bakura stopped what he was doing and thought for a minute.

"No, Ryou lives with his Grandpa and brother, from what Malik tells me." Marik smirked; his mate was well and truly getting his way into Ryou's life, better then the both of them.

"You think its one of them?" Marik asked, as he had yet to meet this Grandpa person Ryou lived with, and didn't think the short one would be capable of hurting Ryou, he leant on the counter in front of Bakura, it was better to place something in-between them should his companion explode.

"I'm really not sure, makes it a little hard to kill them if they're his family… Malik has been with Ryou at school, so its not happing there and the bruises look to be healing." Bakura growled as he glanced up. "One things for sure, I'm not letting him walk out of this house without telling me who's abusing him." There was a demanding tone to Bakura's voice as his eyes turned crimson and his fangs lengthened, he took in a deep breath and asked. "So what's bothering you?"

Marik said. "It's something to talk about later." He went to straiten up and Bakura reached over and grabbed his right wrist, the conversation didn't work, so now he had to be straightforward.

"No you don't." Bakura hissed and Marik's eyes widened before he narrowed them. "You're going to talk to me about this."

Marik snorted not pulling his arm away, the grip on it wasn't hurtful just firm. "Like you can make me."

"No I can't make you… without hurting you." Bakura let him go his tone and voice softened somewhat. "But it's not want I want to do." Marik took an uncharacteristic step back in an almost fearful way as he watched Bakura walk around the island counter and wrapped his arms around him. "I want you to talk to me."

"Alright." Marik mumbled worried it was sooner or later that Bakura would find out anyway, right? Feeling a little relieved as Bakura lent up and kissed him on the lips, a brush of tongue and the pale Demon let out a soft groan and pulled back. "I brought Ryou back from the dead." Bakura frowned and Marik clutched onto him, stopping him from going anywhere.

"Marik we've both done that." Bakura mumbled letting his arms fall and rest on Marik's biceps.

"I made a deal with Olly the Soul Collector, half my life in exchange for Ryou's soul." If it wasn't for the solemn look on Marik's face, Bakura would have been smirking and almost down right giddy.

"So what are you saying?" Bakura questioned as he steeped back and Marik let him go. "That you're responsible for getting Ryou back to me? The Ryou that's asleep upstairs now?" Bakura chuckled. "Marik, that's nothing to be upset about, I mean the half life could be a problem."

"No." Marik cut in. "I'm not." He ran a hand through his wild hair and turned dark lavender eyes away with a sigh, really hating to bring it up, but what other choice did he have. "It was the time you were, well… you were unavailable."

"What?" Bakura asked a little confused, he had never been unavailable to Marik.

"You were trying to kill yourself." Marik almost whispered out hoping that Bakura heard what he said and at the same time hoped he didn't.

Bakura had not been expecting that and snapped back. "So what if I didn't what to live without my mate." He growled irritated and walked around the counter back to his hot cup of tea, not wanting to be so close anymore to Marik until this discussion was over, as it was now hitting a sensitive nerve.

"That's not what I'm getting at, but the place of time."

"Fine." Bakura mumbled now irritable. "I now what you're getting at, so it was a while back." He frowned glancing down at his tea as thoughts rolled about in his head and he voiced them out loud. "So what happened? Why didn't Ryou show up with you that day?" He glanced down at his wrist and the large white scare as a reminder, if it hadn't been for Marik he would have died.

"Something happened that night." Bakura looked up. "We were attacked in the Inn we stayed at."

"Let me guess?" Bakura mumbled. "Werewolves attacked the Inn." Marik gave a wordlessly nod of his head. "The few homes down the block from where I was staying were attacked as well."

"It all happened so fast and I was so busy protecting Ryou and myself that I." He trailed off and bowed his head. "There were just so many of them and it was so dark, I didn't see him."

"See who?" Bakura asked leaning on the counter not really liking where this was going.

"Ryou…" Tears burned at his dark eyes as he looked up into Bakura's crimsons ones. "He came back to help me, I thought he was one of them and… I killed him." Marik said sounding defeated and at the same time surrendering himself over to whatever Bakura had installed for him now.

"You killed him?" Bakura said in a low tone and again Marik nodded his head wordlessly, a wave of anger flared up within him at first, on how Marik could do such a thing… but he was just as guilty in some way. "Marik, we have killed Ryou ourselves in trying to do the same thing, you were just the first to do it."

"Aren't you angry at me?" Marik asked daring to hope that Bakura wasn't going to rip him limb from limb.

"Yeah I am angry." Bakura ran a hand through his hair taking in a deep breath. "But it couldn't have been helped." Marik felt the corner of his lips tug into a smile of relief, but held it back until Bakura was done talking. "To tell you the truth, it would have been something even I would have done." Bakura smirked slightly at the other but it faded quicker than it appeared.

"So you don't hate me?" Marik asked his expression was guarded as Bakura took a few mouthfuls of his tea and walked back around the island counter and up to Marik and placed a chaste kiss to his lips and moved back a little.

"The both of us have some reason to feel guilty… when it comes to Ryou." Marik smirked, they did. "But right now, I'm more concerned about getting Ryou as my mate and taking care of a few people." Bakura growled, Marik wrapped his arms around Bakura pulling him closer, feeling at ease. "Oh, but this doesn't mean you're off the hook, Marik."

* * *

The next morning Malik pulled up outside the game shop on his motorbike, Ryou unwrapped his arms from around his waist and got off. "Are you sure you're feeling up to going today?" Malik asked concerned as he took off his helmet giving his head a shake as he got off. "We could always go back and just spend the day together." He grinned a little worried, as he hadn't seen Bakura or Marik that morning when they left, which was unusual as Marik was always there to see him leave for the day, but if Bakura was with him then he really didn't need to worry so much.

"I'm fine, I just need to change and we can leave." Ryou handed back the helmet he had been wearing and walked up to the house. He was still a little confused on how he ended up passing out last night and ended up in Bakura's bed for the night and what was going on with this Ishizu, no one had explained about her. He would leave those questions for later until he was used to knowing that the ones he was dating were Demons. Malik followed close behind him as Ryou opened the door with a spare key from under a flowerpot. "Don't worry we'll be together all day."

Ryou walked inside and gasped as Malik grabbed him and pressed him to the wall and kicked the door closed behind him with his foot. "And all of tonight?" Malik had wrapped his arms around Ryou's waist bringing them closer together as he just about purred, Ryou groaned as he tilted his head back against the wall, as Malik nuzzled, licked and nipped his way along Ryou's neck and jaw line.

The sound of someone clearing their throat made them both stop and look towards the stairs to see Grandpa looking at them with a raised eyebrow. "A little self control, Ryou." Malik bit his tongue in telling the old man that he shouldn't be watching in the first place if he didn't like the show... _be nice, be nice, its Ryou's family_ was the small little chant in his head.

Ryou let out a small laugh as Malik's fingers had found a ticklish spot at his sides as he stepped back giving Ryou room to move. Malik turned to the old man and walked up to him, he had best be nice to his future in-law.

"I'm Malik Ishtar, recently moved here from Egypt and Ryou's boyfriend." Ryou blushed as Grandpa looked at him with that same less then pleased look on his face. The old man turned the unpleased look to Malik's hand and took it in a brief shake; the old man gave him a weary once over at the gold chokers around his neck, the matching earrings in both ears and wrist cuffs that showed under the school uniform, _what was this world coming too_. Thought the old man.

"Lets keep hands and mouths to ourselves." The older man took his hand back and walked by them and into the kitchen.

Malik turned and looked puzzled, had he done something wrong? He sure as hell didn't think he did, the old man reminded Malik of his first teacher back in England, he too didn't like the fact that Malik showed to much interest in the same sex.

"He's not comfortable around people who openly show their affections, kind of old fashioned." Ryou almost whispered to him as Malik moved closer.

"Well it's a good thing that I'm not dating him or there would be a problem." Ryou smiled again taking in Malik's appearance, even though they talked about them being Demons, Ryou still found it hard to believe that Malik's body held large black wings and behind soft kissable lips were fangs sharp enough to rip flesh off bone. How many times had Ryou been kissed by those lips and Bakura's and not once been hurt… Malik still looked just like any other teenager. Wait a minute… how old were they? If Vampires could live for hundreds of years even thousands, then Demon could as well, right? Ryou bit his lip; he would have to ask some time. Malik's voice broke him out of his thoughts. "A penny for your not so innocent thoughts, about me." Malik grinned as he stepped a little closer licking his lips dry.

"I'm not." Ryou blushed as he swiftly walked by Malik. "I'm getting ready." He rushed upstairs. Malik smirked as he watched the human run up the stairs, fighting the urge to follow and help him _change _out of his clothes… into, into his clothes. Malik growled, great that's all he needed was dirty thoughts running through his head that Ryou started by looking at him like that. He turned on his heels and followed the scent of coffee and walked into the kitchen.

"Malik?!" Yugi said looking up from his bowl of cereal at seeing movement at the doorway.

"Hi." Malik said as he stopped by the door, not feeling welcome to enter all the way as the old man was glaring at him from the kitchens stove.

"What are you doing here?"

"I brought Ryou home to change so we can go to school." Malik leaned against the doorframe as Yugi nodded his head taking another mouthful.

"Yugi, hurry up you're going to be late." The old man cut in hoping this Malik would get the hint and leave, Malik looked over towards the old man who was making himself a hot tea, Yugi just rolled his eyes.

"I'm not going to be late Grandpa, Yami's picking me up." Malik snapped his light lavender eyes to Yugi and smirked.

"So you're the one that's been hanging out with Yami?" Yugi blushed and ducked his head down to hide it, a very much like Ryou action.

"Yeah, you could say that." He looked up glancing at his Grandpa then up at Malik, as Ryou dashed into the room, in uniform, hair brushed along with is teeth and backpack over one shoulder. "But we are just friends." Malik let out a snort he didn't believe it. Yami, though Malik hadn't really seen him around lately, but when he had the Demon Lord had a bounce to his step and would occasionally hum to himself, the idiot was in love with the human… that grin got bigger, this was priceless and once he told Marik and Bakura the tormenting would begin and he couldn't wait to see the look on the councils face when Yami would announce that he was seeing a human.

"I'm sorry about last night." Ryou said, Yugi nodded as he stood up.

"It's okay I wasn't as worried since I knew where you were." The short one gave Ryou a smile as he dumped his bowl into the sink.

"Oh and tell Yami thank you from me everything worked out just fine." Malik said as Ryou looked at him, Yugi shot him a look with a tilt of his head. "He'll know what I mean." Malik added seeing the look of confusion on both their faces. "Are you ready to go?" He glanced at Ryou.

Ryou nodded his head and asked. "What about you, Yugi?"

"Don't worry about me." Yugi waved at hand at him. "Yami's picking me up and taking me to school." Ryou smiled as Malik took his hand.

"Bye Yugi, Grandpa!" Ryou waved, the old man nodded his head as the two left the room and outside to the motorbike, where Malik pulled Ryou into a kiss, by the time they finished, Yami had given them a catcall then rushed inside to get Yugi when Malik shot him glare. Malik lent in placing one last kiss to soft lips before getting on to his motorbike, Ryou followed sitting behind him and they took off.

* * *

Mid morning Ryou was walking down the almost empty hallway most of the students were still off sick. The last class had been a free one, which Malik wasn't a part of and he was meeting up with him again in the cafeteria. He was grabbed onto and pushed inside an empty classroom. Ryou stumbled falling against a desk, his eyes wide as he pulled himself away hitting the wall behind him and looked up to face his attacker and paled as fear gripped him and mumbled out. "Honda?" Ryou looked about he did not want to be alone with him.

"I've been looking for a chance to talk with you one on one." He said, Ryou ignored him and dashed for the door, Honda was there and pushed him away before Ryou could pull it all the way open. The taller teen closed the door and again as Ryou fell against a desk, he placed both his hands on either side to help keep his balance.

"I told you to stay away from me!" Ryou growled.

"You're not listening to me!" Honda stalked over and grabbed Ryou by the shoulders in a bruising force, the smaller winched then looked up at him. "Why won't you go out with me? I've been around a lot longer than that Malik guy?" Honda was just angry; most likely been thinking about what happened all this time and it would seem that anything he said would only anger him more, he had seen that same look on his father.

"I don't like you! You're aggressive and pushy and what you did to me wasn't right." Ryou said without stumbling and with firm voice, if any of his friends could of heard him they would have been proud. Honda's face twisted up in confusion but then it darkened once again and he shook Ryou by the shoulders.

"I did nothing to you!" He yelled his eyes and face seemed to sharpen with his anger. "You lied to everyone about that night, now Yugi won't talk to me, I haven't seen Joey in the last few days." He growled as pulled back his hand. "Its all your fault you whore!"

Ryou brought his hand up swiftly and slapped him hard across the face then shoved him away making Honda fall to the ground. "You need help!" Ryou snapped at him as he made for the door, but Honda grabbed his ankle making Ryou trip and hit the ground hard.

Ryou twisted around onto his back as Honda crawled over the top of him trying to pin him down. "You just have to see, then you'll know how I feel."

"You are sick!" Ryou managed to land a punch to the side of Honda's head in his struggle; he wouldn't let Honda do it to him again. The teen rolled off and Ryou gave him a kick to his side to make sure he had room and time to get to the door.

Ryou scrambled to his feet and in his hurry to get to the door, it opened and he ran right into someone, his mind had been in a fit of confusion and Ryou brought up his fist to swing hoping to knock Honda out of his way, but his fist was caught and an arm wrapped around him pulling him closer to a body. "Easy my love."

Ryou's eyes widened as his mind seemed to clear becoming aware of what was going on and he looked up. "Bakura?!" He was happy and relieved.

"I saw you being pulled in here." Bakura growled looking down at Honda who was now getting up to his feet.

"You again?!" Malik seethed as he walked in behind Bakura, when Ryou hadn't shown up, he went looking for the human and met up with Bakura and Marik along the way.

"Didn't you get the hint before?… Ryou is ours!" Marik said from Bakura's side as his dark eyes narrowed.

"What the hell is this, Ryou?" Honda pointed at the three Demons that were growling at him. "I didn't know that you were such a…" Malik had moved so fast that Honda didn't get to finish what he was saying.

"Say it and I'll drop you where you stand." The Demon hissed at him, Malik's eyes turned crimson and the tingle in his gums as his fangs lengthened and he smirked realizing that he needed his blood fix.

"Malik!" Marik said sternly knowing what his mate was about to do, the smaller Demon turned his head and looked at Marik, slowly letting go of the human and stepped back. "I think a little lesson is in need here." Marik said to Bakura who nodded in agreement.

"What are you going to do?" Ryou bit his lip as images of what Demons do to people filled his head, throats ripped out and left for dead, he shook his head not wanting to go right into it, and besides Bakura wouldn't do anything like that… would he? He was a Demon after all.

"I'm doing what I'm meant to do as your mate by protecting you and taking care of him." Bakura said as he stepped around his human, Ryou was left once again confused it was twice now that Bakura had called himself his mate. Marik placed a hand on Ryou's shoulder.

"Bakura knows what he's doing." Marik said pulled Ryou into his arms wrapping them around the shoulders and chest as he watched what Bakura was going to do. "You need to trust us." He whispered into the human's ear.

Bakura tilted his head to the side slightly his full attention on Honda who looked nervous even though he grinned. "If you do anything to me I'll tell Yugi."

Bakura grinned. "Where I came from." He left it hang in the air a little before he continued. "Those that have an interest in ones already chosen Mate, can stake a claim on his or her interest by challenging the others that are interested, the victor gets the prize." Honda was now confused, as was Ryou. "Malik." Bakura sighed pinching the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"What he is saying you, dolt." Malik said, flicking Honda on the forehead making him flinch. "Is that if you want Ryou all to yourself… then you have to challenge, Bakura… Marik and me." Honda looked at Malik then at Bakura and finally Marik.

"I have never lost to anyone." Bakura grinned, though none of it was true and it was just for scaring the human and it seemed to work. The pale Demon walked forward as he grabbed Honda by the front of his school uniform and lifted him up to his feet.

Marik pulled Ryou to the side as Bakura shoved Honda out the door; the human fell onto his back and slid hitting the wall on the other side of the hallway, Bakura instantly followed him stalking over, he was going to give this guy a good smack around to make sure he never bothered his mate again.

"Please don't Bakura." Ryou got free of the hold Marik had on him and rushed up to Bakura grabbing onto his arm giving him a pleading look.

The Demon growled out. "Is he the one responsible?"

Ryou gave him a confused look with a shake of his head. "Responsible for what?" Bakura growled as he glanced at Honda then back at Ryou.

"For your state?" Bakura tried to make his point without actually saying it. "Ahh nothing!" Bakura suddenly snapped and turned giving Honda's leg a kick for his own self-frustration, the teen whimpered and pulled himself into a ball.

Bakura sighed in annoyance and wrapped his arm around Ryou's shoulders and started down the hallway, he would have preferred to kill the troublesome human right here and now, but Ryou wouldn't have approved of it and the last thing Bakura wanted was to look bad in front of Ryou.

"You should count your lucky stars that Ryou stopped him" Malik seethed as he approached the huddled up human on the floor.

Marik followed him staying close behind Malik and said. "It's best that you stay away from Ryou for your own health." Marik smirked as he turned to follow Bakura and Ryou, who were at the other end of the hallway now.

"I'm not finished with you." Malik growled and gave him a kick to his side for good measure.

Outside they sat down under a tree. "So why are you here?" Ryou directed the question at Bakura and Marik, Ryou was lent up against the tree trunk and Malik had his head resting on his shoulder.

"We have a meeting to go to and stopped by for Malik." Marik said in a bored tone, he was lent up against the tree on the other side of Malik with his hands behind his head, he really hated these meetings, but this one was different, as Yami had put it.

Bakura was lying on the ground with his head in Ryou's lap and his eyes closed, he was still tired from last night, the conversation still went on for a few more hours. They were getting looks from a few of the students that weren't at home sick, Ryou didn't spare them a glance or worried what they might be thinking, they were simply ignored.

"So are you coming over tonight?" Bakura opened one dark brown eye glancing up at Ryou, who had the sudden case of déjà vu, that he had done this before but with someone else. He shook his head to clear it and smiled.

"No I really shouldn't." He bit his lip as Bakura had a disappointed look on his face. "Grandpa is worried about me staying out all the time."

Marik reached around Malik and gently took Ryou's wrist and looked at his watch. "We should go." Bakura let out a self-suffering groan as he rolled over and lent on his hands and knees and gave Ryou a chaste kissed to his lips as he got up and dusted himself off.

"Bye Ryou." Malik placed a kiss to Ryou's cheek, the human whispered a bye as he watched Malik link arms with Bakura and started to walk off.

"Ryou?" Marik crawled over slightly on his hands and knees. "Would you, I mean…" The Demon bit his lip, as he was as nervous as hell, what if Ryou really didn't like him? What if he was to late? He glanced up and saw Bakura looking back at them then turn back to watch where he was going. Marik looked back and saw the small dust of a blush cross Ryou's cheeks. "Could I drive you to school tomorrow?" His heart just about stopped as he awaited his answer, sure it was nothing special but he had to start somewhere if he wanted to get to know the human.

"I'd like that." Ryou said softly.

Marik smirked. "Thank you!" He said as he got up and dashed after Bakura and Malik.

* * *

Later that afternoon Ryou stepped out of the doors of the school; he had once again been waiting for Yugi, who was a no show. With a rumble of thunder he looked up to see the dark storm clouded sky and the wind picked up, it would soon rain.

He passed the students car-park and saw Yami's car pull out and speed off down the road, well that took away his chance of getting a lift back to the Game Shop or even walking with Yugi before the rain came.

Ryou pulled on his backpack properly as he started the long walk to the Game Shop, it started to rain soon after, there was no point in running home, as he would end up soaked anyway. Ryou let his thoughts wonder over the events of the last few nights he had spent with the three Demons, would they want to turn him into something like them later on? Could they even turn him into a Demon? Lost in his own thoughts that gave no answers he hadn't been paying attention to where he was going.

Suddenly he was bumped into and a snarl came. "Watch it!" Ryou was about to give him an apology but stopped as his apartment building loomed in front of him and with a gasp he took a step backwards. How did he end up here? He shook his head and turned away planning to walk right to the Game Shop, but stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"Maybe I should just look in on him." Ryou bit his lip, worried that his father had drunken himself so stupid that he might have passed out in the living room or could have died… who would know but for his only son that lived with him. Ryou ran a hand through his wet hair, it was a bit of an exaggeration but his father wasn't the type of person that held dinner parties and entertained guests, so if something did happen to him no one would know.

"Just for a minute." Ryou reassured himself as he took in a deep breath and walked up to the front doors.

He soon stood outside his apartment door with his hand rested on the key in the doorknob. His father shouldn't be home, his was never home at this time of day. Ryou unlocked the door hearing the lock pop on the other side and pushed open the door and walked inside.

Ryou felt his heart pound in his chest out of worry and fear, the living room; kitchenette and joining dinner area were dark and he could hardly see. Not wanting to call in case his old man was asleep Ryou walked through the apartment looking for his drunken father and couldn't find him anywhere, not really feeling bad about it, he turned and headed for his bedroom.

Ryou walked about grabbing a few items of his own clothing and shoving them into his school backpack. He jumped when he heard the front door open and close with a loud bang, Ryou rushed to his door and closed it silently and backed away from it as he heard his father's footsteps in the apartment. _'I shouldn't have come here.'_ Ryou clutched onto his backpack and listened; it was just to late now, hoping his father would walk by and pass out on his bed.

But any ideas that he was walking out of here unseen was shot to pieces when his door was kicked in, it slammed against the wall so hard it placed a hole in the plaster and cracked the wall. "Where have you… you been?" He swayed on his feet, his eyes blood shot and it looked that he hadn't shaven or bathed in a few days, his clothes were ratty and held blood stains on them, most likely from fighting.

Ryou backed up and held in his yelp as his back hit the wall. "At school." Ryou whispered, as he looked away, his father was blind drunk; he looked up just in time to see his father advanced on him.

"School?" The alcohol was strong on his breath and clothing, Ryou couldn't breath and didn't want to. "Didn't you… stop going." His words slurred but were understood. "Working, I want my… money." He spat out.

"I didn't leave school." Ryou knew his words wouldn't get through that drunken haze the older man was in and his throat tightened so much that he didn't think he could get his words out, suddenly he found himself wishing Bakura was here.

Ryou's father seemed confused and lost for a few minutes but as his eyes landed on the bag clutched in his sons arms, and thoughts of when his wife left him she had looked the same way, was his only brat going to leave. He growled as he grabbed onto the backpack and ripped it from Ryou's arms and threw it across the room. "You're not going to leave me!" He seethed.

"I wasn't going…" He yelped as he was backhanded, Ryou placed a hand to his split lip and looked up with wide eyes.

"I'll make sure that you don't leave me again." Before Ryou could do anything to defend himself. He was pulled forward slightly by back of his neck and slammed back again onto the wall, twice, each hit had felt like the back of his head was cracking open and the pain almost blinded him. His father stepped away and watched his son crumple to the floor in a heap unconscious.

* * *

**TBC**

Hmmm, I'm not too happy with the chap, but anyway **R&R** me and let me know what you thought about it.


	20. Chapter 20

Warnings and Disclaimer are as followed in the first and other chaps… I own nothing!

**Chap 20 **

* * *

The room held lit candles in each of the corners on stands that wax had melted over onto the floor, the red almost black worn carpet and wallpaper was peeling off the walls, the musty smell of dampness filled the room, black ratted drapes were worn by time and a large rounded table in the middle of the room held a few candles. This place was on mutual ground and no spells or magic could be used at any time making it a good spot for making deals with your enemy.

The five Demons were restless despite the no magic rule and the fact that the meeting was held with the Witches. They all looked up as the doors banged open and Ishizu walked in. "Oh look, scum of the earth has shown up." She said, eyeing them as she ran her fingers over the dusty wood of the table. "I though you cowardly beasts would be in hiding." She laughed lightly, as she pulled out a high back chair and sat down placing her boot covered feet onto the table.

"You bitch!" Malik yelled angrily and lunged at her, determined to climb over the table just to get to her, there was no rule about fighting, Marik grabbed onto him and pulled him back.

"What a warm greeting my dear little brother." She smirked looking at each Demon in turn. "What have I done to provoke you?"

"You know what you did!" Malik snapped at her, getting free of Marik, he slammed his fists down onto the table. "And don't you dare speak of me in such a way."

"Why not, I'm hurt." She mock pouted placing a hand over her chest. "How could you say such things to me?" She turned her blue eyes onto Marik. "You're still controlling him, you bastard?"

"As always." Marik hissed at her, he still had a hold on the back of Malik's belt should he lose control and attack her.

"You have a lot of guts coming here on your own." Yami hissed as he too took a seat, Seto followed by sitting next to him.

Ishizu narrowed her blue eyes and turned them onto Bakura. "Did you get my message, Demon?" Bakura twitched from his spot against the wall in the shadows of the room. "Your little whore has reincarnated himself, and looks just the same as he did the day I slit his throat." She grinned now cleaning out the dirt from under her fingernails. "You did get my message?" She inquired looking up at him.

Bakura growled as he jumped up onto the table and pulled out his dagger from his belt and threw it at her. Ishizu gasped and fell from her chair and rolled onto the floor, the dagger hit the back of the chair with such force that it knocked it over. "I have a personal message for you, Witch!" Bakura raged as he rushed across the rounded table and jumped down, he pulled a second dagger out.

Ishizu got to her feet and turned around pulling out a dagger of her own, she looked up just in time to see Malik knock the knife from her hand, it fell to the floor and slid under the table and he slapped her, knocking her back to the floor with a yelp.

"Enough!" Yami called out standing up but was ignored, he glanced at Marik who would have the power really to stop them, but the tanned Demon was silently watching from where he was. "Stop them?" The Demon Lord demanded.

"Why?" Was Marik's only reply never taking his eyes off the scuffle across the table.

Ishizu rolled over onto her back holding her bruised cheek and a start of a black eye. "You hit me!" She gasped out shocked. "YOU HIT ME!" She screamed at Malik looking up at him in a hurt and wounded way.

Malik taking no regret or pity for what he did. "Oh I'll kill you." He seethed down at her. "You almost killed Bakura and Ryou and most of all you hurt Marik."

She dropped the act and glared at him. "Still playing the worthless whore to that piece of trash, Malik." She spat out the words as she wriggled backwards.

"I'd rather be his whore then call you sister." Malik bent down and grabbed her ankle and pulled her back almost under him. "Here you are nothing than a little girl in a room of Monsters." He grabbed her around the neck and lifted her up and slammed her down on her back onto the table, she swung her arms at him trying to slap him. "The Monsters are hungry little girl."

She couldn't kick him as Malik grabbed her and pulled her towards him, he now stood between her parted legs. "I'll get you, Malik." She was grabbed onto by her shoulders and lifted up coming face to face with her snarling brother. "You have no idea what I'm capable of doing." Ishizu growled out, her hair had fallen out in strands over her face as she grabbed Malik by the front of his top and pulled him even closer. "I'll tear your little family in two from the inside." She spat a mouthful of blood at him getting him on the cheek, then used her free hand and punched him in the chest, making him stumble backwards.

She slid off the table onto her feet as she started to chant under her breath. "Not if I kill you first!" Malik said as he dashed forward and punched her under the jaw, she was airborne for a short second as she landed hard on her back on the table, the candles still stood as the melted wax held them in place.

She was dazed for a few minutes as the air was knocked out of her; after all she was still a human. She went to sit up a dagger was placed under her nose; she froze in place and looked up into the crimson eyes of Bakura. "I have a message for you and any other out there like you, don't fuck with my Mate or my companions, and to make my point. You are going to be the example of my meaning." Bakura raised the dagger and before he could bring it down, she had pulled something from her black vest and threw it down onto the table, Bakura jumped back a small explosion and smoke filled the area.

While they were distracted she jumped up and went for the door, but was grabbed and slammed against the wall. "And no amount of black magic will bring you back from where I'll be sending you." Bakura hissed, Ishizu's eyes widened and she gasped and was pulled out of the way from the dagger aimed right at her forehead.

"Fuck!" Bakura growled as his hand went through the wall; he turned to see Seto holding the woman by her shoulders.

"If we kill her here everyone will be after us." The tall Demon said.

"I'm thankful Demon, but I don't need your help." Ishizu mumbled, but yelped as Seto pulled her towards a chair and forced her to sit down in it.

"I'd rather chew my right arm off then help you." Seto sat down on the edge of the table and placed his boot onto her chair and tilted it backwards, she yelped again and held on in fear of falling backwards. "This is a talk on whether or not you are going to start a war with us."

"We want to know." Yami said standing up and watching as Bakura and Malik walked back around to his side of the room and stood beside Marik. "Are you planning a war or a battle?"

"We would rather avoid the war." Seto said. "It is messy and I don't like to get dirty."

"No war." She grinned up at Seto but then looked at Yami with a grin that he didn't much care for. "But something else more horrible is coming." She then glanced at Bakura. "It'll be the end of everything."

"And what's that?" Marik asked as Bakura tensed at his side.

"Sing little Witch!" Seto snapped as he forced the chair backwards, she gasped and as a reflex she held on tightly to the edges of the chair.

"Haven't you been watching the news?" She glanced up at him.

Yami frowned as he leant on the table and said. "I have." Seto narrowed his eyes with a nod of his head, Marik, Bakura and Malik remained silent.

"A number of humans have been turning up dead, drained of their blood."

"It's not us we don't do that." Bakura said, as he narrowed his eyes at her wanting nothing more to carve her heart out and leave it for the rats to eat. Bakura also had the feeling that this wasn't the _something horrible_ she had just mentioned a second ago, Marik had glanced at him, giving him the same look.

"Then we have to find out who is." Shadi said as he entered the room, Seto got up letting the chair stand upright again and Ishizu jumped from it and backed up towards the new comer.

"There's only one thing that drains a human body of blood." Seto said.

"Vampires." Yami mumbled as he looked up at the two Witches across from him.

"A common enemy for both of us." Ishizu said, wiping the blood from her chin with her red silk sleeve.

"What are you asking for, a truce?" Yami snorted at her, she nodded her head. "I'll be dead and buried before I allow anything like that between us." The Demon Lord snapped.

"Yami?" Seto said from his side, not liking at all what he was about to say. "These Vampires are a threat and if they go unchecked, they can blow our cover and reveal us to the humans."

"You can't be serious!" The three shouted at them.

"I agree with the Healer." She said, knowing just how the blood drinkers could get. "We will work together at night until this mater is resolved." She said as she spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor and looked the Demons over. "No funny business, no magic, until this is over, you have my word."

"There is no way that I'm going to work with Ryou's murderer." Bakura growled bearing his fangs at the woman. "The Vampires can have you for all I care." He hissed out.

"I'll help them in catching you for a feed or a chew toy." Malik smirked at her.

"We are in the same boat here!" She half yelled at them. "One of ours was killed last night, her blood was drained." Ishizu pushed her lips together irritated at Malik's comment, now was not the time for this petty argument.

"So we work together as a team to hunt them down and drive them out of town." Seto said not really paying much attention to the matter at hand.

"It's not going to happen." Yami said. "I'm not having my only clan members stabbed in the back by the likes of you."

"Oh ill stab them in the back all right, but not until we stop them." She narrowed her blue eyes at him. "We need your help."

"Then you're shit out of luck lady." Yami grinned, knowing that Vampires came in large groups of colonies or nests and stayed until they grew board of the town and moved onto the next, but they also killed others, like Demons, Werewolves and Witches. "You're not getting help from us… not after what you did." Yami also knew that she was scared of vampires more than them. She would run from town with her tail between her legs until they were gone. But guessing she was after them for real this time and for her to ask for help and stay, she wanted the three to stuffer and Yami wasn't going to hand them over to her.

Ishizu glared at him, how dare he decline her. "Fine." She hissed much like a snake. "If you want help you know where to find me."

"The nearest whore house?" Marik said with a smirk.

"Keep smirking, Marik." She backed up towards the door looking at him. "I'll hit you when you least expect it and make you wish I had ripped out your heart." She glared at him then at Malik… Marik's smirk faulted as he saw who she was looking at, but when he looked back at her, Ishizu had vanished out the door.

"So what are we going to do about them?" Bakura asked still on guard, Ishizu had proven to be a powerful foe and she did strike in unexpected ways.

"Just watch your backs." Yami said turning to them.

"That's it?" Seto asked walking to the door, he had stopped what he was doing to come here.

"You want to go on a full out assault on them?" Yami shook his head. "We don't have the numbers and they'll come after us if we kill to many of them."

"So we are laying low for now?" Malik asked leaning against Marik and wrapping his arms around him for comfort.

"Yeah." Yami said as he left the room the others followed him out into the chill of the night and headed home.

* * *

The next day Yugi paced back and fourth by the phone in the shop part of the house, worried about Ryou. The teen hadn't turned up last night and the last time he saw his friend was the morning before and Yugi brushed it off thinking Ryou was with Malik. He hoped that his friend hadn't gone home without telling him first. He rubbed his hands together in nervousness and bit his lip. Ryou hadn't called at all; neither had Malik to say that Ryou was with him or stayed the night at his house. "What's got you all worked up?" Yami asked as he walked into the shop the jingle of bells rang out above his head.

"Yami." Yugi turned around and just about tackled him to the ground in a hug. "I'm worried about Ryou." He blurted out the Demon hadn't been expecting that.

"Why?" Yami frowned not liking his human upset over someone else; it kind of made him jealous that this boy had a lot of Yugi's attention, when it should all be on him.

"Well I'm not sure I should tell you." Yugi let him go and stepped back glancing at the phone then started to pace again.

"Yugi, you can tell me anything." Yami pressed; if it was going to be like this that Yugi couldn't talk to him then what kind of chance would there be in mating each other, and if it was anything important about Ryou he could tell Bakura who would fix the problem.

"Okay, but you can't tell a soul." Yugi said looking up at him with pleading eyes that Yami couldn't resist. "If Ryou found out he'll be angry with me."

Yami made a quick slash over his heart with his fingers, saying. "Promise, not a word."

Yugi bit his lip hesitating for a minute, Yami found himself staring at those lips wanting to be the one doing the biting, he shook his head as Yugi took a deep breath in saying. "Ryou was meant to be here last night." Yugi looked up at Yami stopping in his pacing. "I think he might have gone home." Yugi groaned and ran a hand through his hair and pulled at the ends. "He hasn't called and I'm worried… I hate being worried and not to mention that Joey has fallen off the face of the planet."

"I thought Ryou lived here with you?" Yami walked up to Yugi and wrapped his arms around the human to comfort him; he really didn't like to see him upset. "Isn't he your brother?"

Before Yugi could answer him, the little bells jingled in the room, they both looked over as Marik, Bakura and Malik, stepped into the little shop. "Hi Yugi." Malik greeted, but frowned at seeing the short human give him such a look that told him something was wrong.

"We're after Ryou, is he here?" Bakura asked getting to the point of why they were here as he looked about.

Yugi only groaned again and buried his face into Yami's chest feeling helpless, the three Demons didn't like this one bit. Yami shook his head looking over at them and said. "Yugi doesn't know where he is, he was supposed to be here last night but never showed up." Yami sighed as Yugi clutched onto him, Bakura raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Marik wondering if he had heard right.

Marik gave a growl. "Where would he have gone?" He asked concerned, hoping that Ryou was safe and just heading over to their house as a miss communication on picking him up from here, he glanced at Malik feeling the worry wave off him and he to felt the same way.

"Tell them Yugi, they can help him if he needs it." Yami encouraged him.

"Where is Ryou?!" Bakura demanded and growled, he gritted his teeth in anger.

"He's going to hate me for this." Yugi pulled away from Yami, but stayed in his arms for comfort and protection.

"I don't care." Bakura snapped at him. "Tell me where he is, now?!" Yami growled at the pale Demon for the way he spoke to Yugi and tightened his hold on the human protectively.

"I think he might have gone home, I told him not to go back there without telling me, but I don't think he listened to me this time." Yugi said not able to look at Bakura. "I don't like him being there."

"I thought Ryou lived here with you." Malik said shifting on his feet nervously wanting to get going and find Ryou, he didn't like not knowing where their human was.

"Aren't you and Ryou brothers?" Bakura asked now getting even more angrier that no one was really telling him anything and he was worried for his humans safety and he hated being worried, it made him feel weak and useless to do anything about it.

"No, we're just friends." Yugi said, if the short one was this upset over Ryou going home, then there might be something to worry over. Malik turned and looked at Marik as if he had all the answers, it was something Malik always did and it was his instinctive way of seeking out comfort from his mate.

"Tell us were he does live?" Bakura asked narrowing his now crimson eyes, not liking this at all, he gave a side-glance to Marik, who was guarding his worried expression well for Malik more then anyone else. Yugi's hand shook so badly as he wrote down the address on a piece of paper he told them as well but writing it down would help in case they forgot he handed it to Bakura.

"Don't worry about Ryou?" Bakura said reading the address over and handing it back to Marik, the three turned around to leave.

"Wait!" Yugi called out rushing up to them, the three stopped and looked at him. "Ryou's father he's…" He bit his lip and hoped Ryou would forgive him for saying this to them and that these three could handle the old man should they be confronted by him. "He's a drunk and when he's home he… abuses Ryou." Tears fell from Yugi's eyes. "That's why he stays with us, that man has put Ryou in the hospital at least six times this year. No one does anything because…"

"Well I'm doing something about it." Bakura growled not wanting to hear anymore, he ran from the shop and out into the street, Marik and Malik followed right behind him.

* * *

**TBC**

Yeah, I hope that you guys get the point that Ishizu isn't as nice as what I had her before, **R&R** reads. (Love and Cookies)


	21. Chapter 21

Warnings and Disclaimer are as followed in the first and other chaps… I own nothing! Sigh.

**Chap 21**

* * *

Ryou moaned and opened his eyes slowly as the headache pounded through his head and movement seemed to make it worse. He lay there for a few seconds; something was wrong, really wrong. His eyes widened as a gag was in his mouth and tied about his head, he bit down on it and looked up to find both his arms tied by cloth about the head of the bed, was that his fathers necktie? He panicked and tried to pull his arms free, but it didn't work as the material cut into his skin and seemed to only tighten. He whimpered and tried again but it was on so tight that he could barely move his wrists and hands.

He fell limp onto the bed and looked about for anything to help free himself, but finding nothing of use or nearby. What did his father mean by him never leaving again? Was his father planning to leave him tied to his bed for the rest of his life and spoon-feed him his meals? He would most likely die of starvation first… but a small bit of hope came when he thought about Yugi, who would come looking for him in a day or two, but then again with how Bakura and Malik were, they'd be looking for him today… maybe.

He didn't want to be here for that long, who knew what thoughts and intentions his father had planed for him in his twisted drunken mind. Ryou had to get out of here and soon. He tried to pulled his hands free again and all it did was make the cloth cut into his pale flesh and causing his wrist to bleed.

His head started to spin, and his wrists ached from the awkward angle they were in against the wall and the gag in his mouth pulled at his split lip. He looked about again, there had to be something to help him get free, hoping that his father would be sleeping off last nights drink-fest until well into the afternoon.

His eyes landed on a glass cup that had a little water in it from when he slept here last, his mind ticked over, maybe if he could somehow get it into his hand and smash it, he could cut himself free, might take some moving about and time… but what else did he have to lose? Despite the headache he had, Ryou pulled himself up slightly against the head of the bed and turned his body, he stretched and moved about but nothing he did got him even remotely close to that glass.

He jumped when the door to his bedroom was opened and his father entered smirking. "I was out last night." He said leaning on the doorframe, Ryou sank down a little on the bed and glared at him. "When suddenly this idea hit me." He tapped the side of his head and that grin just got bigger. "Your mother also said I had no brains, she'd be wrong, my boy." Ryou's eyes widened as his father tapped a knife to his chin in thought. "I need an extra bit of cash and you're going to help."

Ryou mumbled out but it wasn't understood because of the gag and really he didn't think that he wanted to know. His father understood though, Ryou wished he could call out to Bakura, Malik or Marik to help him… but he couldn't he was here on his own. "You see boy, I was walking home and like always. The women are out there making their own way by selling themselves." The old man walked over and began to cut Ryou's school shirt from off his body and throwing the rags onto the floor. "I see a few boy's about your age and a little older doing the same thing and thought, why not you as well."

Ryou let out a string of mumbles as he tried again to franticly pull himself free, there was no way he was going to let his first time be with a stranger and be paid for… He had only gotten his first real kiss from Bakura not to long ago, he had also hoped that maybe Bakura would be his first, _if_ he got out of here and he would never come back he'd run away for good this time.

"You'll be surprised how many were interested when I spoke to the them about you." He said. "I got you five clients for today, that's a lot of money, boy." He patted Ryou on the head almost proudly, Ryou's heart pounded in his chest painfully as he let out a muffled sob and pleadings that were lost, there was no way out of this, no one was coming for him, at least not today and after… after this. Bakura would want nothing to do with him, right? Ryou didn't know what hurt more, the fact that he was about to be sold off as a prostitute or Bakura not wanting to have anything to do with him. "Be nice I have the first one for today here."

Ryou shook his head and tried to plead, but he fell silent as a man with long black hair and blue eyes, black jeans and matching jacket stood in the doorway, the man handed over some rolled up money. His father let out a small chuckle, as he looked it over.

"I'll be leaving in about five minutes, you have your hour." He said as he grabbed onto the door handle. "Just don't damage anything." With that he closed the door behind him.

"My you are worth every penny." He grinned as he approached the bed slowly, Ryou cursed at him the best he could, but it didn't have the effect it should have, thanks to the gag. "Now, now." He lent onto the bed and grabbed Ryou's chin with bony cold fingers. "Be nice and I'll be nice."

Ryou pulled his head away, he wasn't just going to lay here and let this guy do what he wanted, no way, Ryou was going to give him as much of a hard time as he could. "I paid good money for you, I want my hour." He lent back and grabbed Ryou by the waist and pulled him down to lay on his back forcefully, Ryou yelped as his wrists was pulled and at the awkward angle, he felt something snap in his wrist and he screamed as white hot pain shot up his arm. "Shut up!" He was backhanded and then those same hands started to wander over his body kneading his chest and sides. "I can make this ever so enjoyable or I can make it painful." Ryou whimpered as his legs were forced apart and the man knelt between them, thankful as he still had his pants on. "Lets get started shall we?"

Tears fell as Ryou let out another scream and struggled to get free as hands moved down under his waistband and took hold of his length and suddenly the only thing that kept him from being completely naked was taken away as well. His pants went over the older mans shoulder and landed at the foot of the bed. "That's better." He grinned undoing his own pants.

* * *

Malik mumbled out the numbers of the doors in the hallway to himself as he ran by them. "This is it!" He called out and instantly Malik pounded on the door with his fist.

"Move!" Bakura growled not being polite with knocking first or waiting for someone to answer the door, Malik moved aside as Bakura kicked in the front door and rushed inside.

"Ryou!" Bakura called out but stopped as he saw an older man standing in front him, holding a jacket and keys in his arms, looked like he was on his way out and shocked to see them and what they did. "Where is Ryou?" The pale Demon hissed demandingly.

"You'll have to come back, he's busy right now." He eyed them wearily in case they were his son's friends from school; the brat had a lot of nosey friends… just like that short one his boy hung out with.

"Ryou's never too busy for me." Bakura growled walking forward, his eyes turned crimson and his fangs lengthened, how dare this human tell him that his chosen mate was to busy for him. The older man backed up with a soft gasp, noticing the change but not quite. "Where is Ryou? I won't ask again." Bakura warned him, fighting the urge to spread his wings and let loose his powers and leave nothing alive in the building, but knowing that Ryou might be in here, had Bakura controlling himself.

"Get out!" He snapped pointing to the door, Bakura dashed forward and grabbed him by the neck and slammed him to the wall, he could always just kill the human the old-fashioned way, strangulation. The older male made a strange gasp choked sound and clawed at Bakura's hand and arm, to get free and breath. "I'm so sick of humans like you getting in the way of what is mine." His voice lowered into a growl and slightly hissed. "Taking what's mine."

"Bakura!" Marik hissed to snap Bakura out of his enraged state.

Malik took a step back his eyes widened as a wave of darkness almost like a shadowed fog washed up and surrounded the pale Demon and human. "Bakura." Malik lunged himself at the said Demon, his chest collided with Bakura's back as he threw his arms about him. "Don't do this, let him go!" Malik trying to place reason with Bakura's now murderous rage.

"Why should I?" Bakura snapped at him looking over his shoulder.

Seeing that Malik had Bakura under a somewhat of a _self-control_. "I'll check the rooms." Marik said, as there was nothing for him to do here so he headed down the small hallway. The first door he opened, held in it a double bed with only a mattress and bed sheets fell over the floor and another bed sheet hung as a drape over the small window. "Ryou!" Marik called out just in case he missed something, the room was empty. He turned around and back into the small hallway and kicked open the second door on the opposite side and gasped at what he saw.

Both Ryou's arms were bound above his head as one of his legs rest over a guys shoulder as he was about to push himself into Ryou's body, who screamed and tried to pull away, that was all Marik could take as he dashed into the room.

The stranger jumped back holding up his hands. "What's going…" He didn't get to finish as Marik landed a punch, breaking the guys nose, he hit the wall behind him and then landed over Ryou, Marik growled as he grabbed the male and pulled him from the bed and threw him across the room, he hit the wall making a hole and slid to the floor.

Malik ran in after hearing the noise and gasped at seeing Ryou struggling to get free of his bonds, he rushed over to the bed. He cupped Ryou's tear, frightened face in both his hands, the human let out a sob of relief. "It's okay now." Malik reassured him as he removed the gag and to untie his hands. Malik wrapped him up in the sheet and picked him up from the bed. Ryou started to sob even more into the blanket and into Malik's neck. Malik whispered to him softly and pressed his lips to the side of Ryou's head.

Marik growled as he kicked the guy in the side making sure he wasn't going to get up and turned just in time to see Bakura walk in dragging behind him the other man. Marik presumed was indeed Ryou's father. "Ryou?" Bakura approached them; the human snapped his head up and struggled to get out of Malik's hold at hearing Bakura's voice. The Demon let him go and Ryou rushed into Bakura's arms and clutched onto him. "I'm sorry." Ryou mumbled tearfully into his chest while holding up the bed sheet around himself.

"Don't apologize for this." Bakura said as he tightened his hold and kissed Ryou on the top of his head, relieved that they had gotten here just in time. Bakura looked over at Malik who had a hurtful and worried look as he watched them. Bakura then looked over the room, his mind placing together what might have been going on as Ryou's clothing lay ripped on the floor and the other male half undressed, with the button and zip undone. He didn't need to be a genius to work it out. Bakura's eyes flashed a brighter crimson, there was no way these man were going to live after what they were going to do… but first there was the matter of his human in his arms, knowing that Ryou didn't need to see what he was capable of doing and controlling his anger was hard enough, Ryou didn't need to know how much of a monster he could really be. "Ryou." Bakura moved his hand and lifted Ryou's chin up. "Malik's going to take you home and take care of you." Ryou nodded his head as Malik walked up and wrapped his arms around Ryou from behind which ended up pressing him more into Bakura and as Ryou stood there between them he felt safe.

"What do you want to do with these two?" Marik gestured to the said men on the floor.

"I have something in mind." Bakura said with a nod of his head, but he wanted to reassure himself that Ryou was okay first.

"I'll take him to see Seto, there might be some healing that needs doing." Malik said as he had seen the state of Ryou's wrists.

Ryou looked up a worried and scared expression. "Please don't kill them." Bakura was about to protest until Ryou spoke up again. "I don't want you to get into trouble over them." Even thought Bakura was furious he felt his heart swell up with the thought that Ryou cared for him.

Bakura narrowed his eyes in thought as he glanced down at the two men on the floor, they deserved something more painful then death anyway, and a smirk came all on it's own as thoughts flooded his head, _ideas_. "I promise." He said looking back down at the human in his arms and tightening his hold.

"Come on Ryou." Malik said, gently pulling him from Bakura's embrace, the human was reluctant in letting go of the pale Demon.

"I'll be right behind you." Bakura said as Malik picked Ryou up off his feet and into his arms, the tanned Demon then fled the apartment and up to the roof.

"I'm going to move really fast now." Malik said as he stood on the roof of the building, his large black wings spread out from his back, he closed his eyes for a second, gathering up his powers needed, to hide them from human eyes. "So keep your head down." The world was nothing but a large blur and it forced Ryou to close his eyes from dizziness. Malik was walking through the door of his home within a few minutes of leaving the apartment, this he could only do over a short distance, it came in handy when running from something.

He walked towards Seto's room, hoping the Healer was here, Seto had been gone a lot lately, and Ryou lifted his head off Malik's shoulder. "Please, Malik just take me somewhere I can lay down."

"Seto can heal any injuries." Malik stopped walking and looked at Ryou, maybe Bakura could get Ryou to see the Healer when he got back. Malik nodded his head turning around and carried him upstairs and went to place Ryou in their room.

"I'd like to be in Bakura's room?" Malik stopped and glanced at him. "Okay." He then stepped out of his room and headed for Bakura's bedroom. He placed Ryou down on the bed and he had to wonder if Ryou was in shock. Malik ran his hand through Ryou's hair gently forcing him to look up. "Are you okay?" Malik asked in a soft worried tone. "I could get you something if you're in pain." One glance at Ryou's wrist and it looked to be broken; his other wrist was just rubbed raw and slightly bleeding.

Ryou shook his head no and said. "I'm alright I just want to rest?" He whispered, Malik stopped his hand and pulled it free of the white hair… Ryou was sending him away.

"Of course, make yourself at home." Concern laced Malik's voice as he stepped back a little, shifting on his feet nervously and fiddled with the hem of his shirt and called the human's name out softly. "Ryou." He looked up slowly tightening his hold on the sheets. "No matter what … I still love you."

"Please Malik, I just want to be alone now." Ryou bowed his head not wanting Malik to see the tears that started to fall or see how weak he was to have let it happen. Malik opened his mouth to say something, anything, which would make Ryou tell him that he knew and that the human also loved him back… Malik's frown deepened as he took a step forward and reached out a hand to touch Ryou on the shoulder, but pulled his hand back to his side closed his mouth and turned around and walked out of the room closing the door behind him.

Later that night Bakura and Marik walked into the house. "I don't think they will trouble Ryou any more." Bakura mumbled as they walked up the stairs.

"I'll be surprised if they live through the night." Marik shook his head, as he looked at Bakura taking off his shirt as it was stained with dried blood as was his jeans, Bakura didn't look much better off.

Malik had been lying on his bed and listened for movement in Bakura's room, nothing happened for a while until he heard the shower running, and it was still going, Ryou had been in there for a long time. He lifted his head up at the sound of the front door closing and soon got off the bed to his feet as Marik and Bakura walked into the room, Malik rushed to Marik and couldn't help the tears that burned at his eyes and fell down his cheeks only to be wiped away by Marik's skin on his chest. "Ryou didn't want to be near me, he hates me."

Bakura and Marik gave each other a look, not sure what went on while they were gone. "I'm sure he's just upset, Malik." Bakura said wanting to help comfort him but worried that his hands or body would dirty him.

Malik looked at him sideways from Marik's chest, not wanting to give up on the loving embrace his mate had on him. Malik frowned as he took in Bakura's blood splattered appearance and he had to wander what they had done with the two men, Malik would ask about it later, he pressed his body more into Marik's and mumbled. "If you tell someone that you love them." Malik looked up at Marik. "They have to say it back, right? But Ryou didn't he sent me away." Malik had always been the one starving for love; he always had to be told on a regular basis that he was loved and needed.

"It's not you." Marik placed a kiss to Malik's lips adding. "It's what happened that's made him so upset." Malik nodded his head, ignoring the smell of blood coming from both Marik and Bakura.

Malik bit his lip hiding his face back into his Mates chest, Marik smiled as he tightened his hold on Malik, he could be so insecure at times, despite his confidence and the capability of looking after himself, even after all these years Marik still saw that small human boy from time to time came out in Malik. "I'm worried about him, he's been so quiet in there."

Bakura left the two and walked into his bedroom, he saw the steam drifting out of the bathroom, he called out. "Ryou!" Then looked down at his shirt and he cursed under his breath as he pulled it from his body, finding the blood made the shirt stick to the skin on his chest and stomach. He growled at it and threw it in the corner of his room then his pants as the blood had made them stiff and the smell irritated him. He walked into the bathroom and over to the shower sliding the curtain back and there was Ryou huddled on the floor with his knees to his chest.

The teen glanced up he was crying, the Demon didn't blame him, it was natural that he would be shaken by what had almost happened, water washed the tears away. "Why didn't you come to me?" Bakura said harshly, hurt and angry that his human hadn't come to him, Ryou flinched and whimpered at his tone and bowed his head. Bakura ran a hand through his hair. His hand, which held open deep sores on his knuckles and dried cracked blood over and under his fingers and fingernails his other hand looked the same, he said. "I would have helped you, even gone with you… damn it, Ryou! Why didn't you come to me?" Ryou let out a sob as he got up and rushed over clutching onto the Demon in a hug not caring that he was naked and wet.

"I'm so sorry." Ryou mumbled out, hoping Bakura wouldn't hate him for what had happened today at his apartment and knowing what his father was like, but it wasn't as if he had agreed to it.

"Just promise me that you'll never go back there without me." Bakura's expression was still solemn when Ryou nodded his head and shivered from the water turning cold on his body. "Here." Bakura guided Ryou back under the spray of the shower to warm him up.

The Demon was soaked instantly, but he didn't mind, it was helping to clean the blood off his body as he held the teen in his arms, grateful that the human couldn't smell it. "He was going to sell me… how could he do that?." Ryou mumbled into the others chest, anger instantly rose within Bakura and he found himself trembling because of it, he gritted his teeth wanting nothing more then to go back and finish the job he had started. "Sell me, like I'm some…"

"Shhh, you're fine now." Bakura cut in for himself and Ryou. "Promise me that if you ever need to go back there, you'll take one of us with you." Ryou didn't say anything he just rested his head on Bakura's chest, the pale Demon lifted the human's chin up to look at him. "Promise me." Bakura lent in and brushed his lips over Ryou's for a few long seconds and pulled away enough to speak. "I just want to keep you safe."

"I promise." Ryou lent in and wrapped his arms about the Demon, who was more then happy to hold the human. Soon after Bakura had washed himself free of blood and dried himself off and tied a towel about his hips, pulling down his robe he turned and held it open for the teen; Bakura took in the few bruises on the humans body and his injured wrists.

"Let me fix your wounds." Bakura said as he pulled out a small brown wooden box from under the sink, he turned around and held his hand out; Ryou took it and was lead out into the bedroom. "Sit on the bed." Ryou sat down and watched as Bakura pulled on a pair of boxers and left the towel on the floor and sat down on the bed. "How long have you been living like that with your father?" Bakura opened the box and took a gentle hold on Ryou's wrist.

"Since I was seven." Ryou watched as Bakura opened a small pot and inside looked to be thick dark green sludge. Bakura dipped his fingers in and gently rubbed it in over the wound. "It's cold." He said amazed, his skin tingled as if Bakura's hands had been frozen and wrapped about his wrist, and it felt so nice.

"A special salve, I make it myself, we don't always have a healer about when needed." Bakura said in a thoughtful tone as his fingers worked on the skin. Soon Bakura was working on the right wrist that looked like it might be broken. "This one will have to be healed." Bakura got to work on making the wrist as comfortable as he could for Ryou

"Thank you." Ryou mumbled.

Bakura stopped his hands and looked up, eyes locked with each other. "For what?" He soon asked.

"For everything." Ryou blushed slightly as Bakura had yet to look away.

"What kind of mate would I be if I left at the hands of madman?" Bakura said as he wrapped the wrist up in a bandage.

"Why do you call yourself that?" Ryou noticed that the salve that Bakura was using on him had a mint smell to it.

"What?" Bakura looked up now finished with the wrists; he knew what Ryou was asking and really wanted him to ask.

"You keep calling yourself mate?"

"Because I am." Bakura said as he started packing everything away into the box on his lap. "Well kind of." He mumbled with a heavy sigh and glanced at Ryou's now confused look. "Demon's don't marry like humans do, we mate them instead and we become bonded to each other for a very long time."

"So we are mated?" Ryou asked and frowned slightly at Bakura's sudden grin. Oh how he wished and wanted to say yes, but lying and having Ryou find out later might not be the best idea.

"No, we're not mated." Bakura lent right into Ryou which made him fall backwards onto the bed with the Demon hovering over him on all fours, taking in on how Ryou's still wet hair fell messily over the bed and his arms rested by his head and the point that Ryou was naked under that robe, was all to irresistible and his craving for the human was now even stronger then before. "To complete the ritual of mating, I have to give you something of personal value and take your body as my own."

"Take my body?" Ryou blurted out his blush deepened not sure what that meant, he knew what it meant if another human had said it to him, but what did it mean for a Demon to say it, was it like a Demonic possession?

Bakura raised an eyebrow and lent down his lips brushed over Ryou's ear and a small gasp escaped the human as he gripped onto Bakura's arms, as if ready to push him away if he did something that Ryou didn't like or was it to hold him in place, Bakura wasn't sure as he licked the outer edge of the human's ear, enjoying the shudder he caused and whispered. "I'd have to sleep with you, mark you… then you'd be mine." Bakura's eyes flashed crimsons. "I want you to be mine, I want to care for you, protect you, have you when I please." A small whimper made Bakura pull back to see tears running down the side of his face into his hair.

"But you're a."

"Demon." Bakura said for him and wiped the tears away with his thumb and added. "Ryou, you were my mate long ago, it doesn't matter what you are or what I am, I love you and want you again by my side."

"But I…" Bakura silenced him by placing a finger to his lips.

"I'm not asking you to do anything with me right now, but to just think about it… I can wait until you're ready." Bakura slowly lowered himself down between the robe-clad thighs and placed his lips to Ryou's only to deepen the kiss and the Demon pressed his body into the human's and let out a low growl as Ryou's grip pulled him more against his body.

Malik bit his lip, standing outside Bakura's bedroom door and wondering what was going on inside. The water had stopped running and no sound was coming from inside the bedroom. That's it; he couldn't take anymore and pushed open the door and walked in. He stopped in the doorway at seeing the two on the bed; both looked to be asleep wrapped up in each other's limbs, Ryou was wrapped up in Bakura's bathrobe as he rested on the Demon's chest and the blanket covered them up to their hips. "You did take care of them?" Malik whispered knowing Marik was behind him and the smell of old blood was still in the air.

"Yeah, we did." Marik nodded his head a look of longing and sadness sat in those deep lavender eyes of his, as he watched the two on the bed, as part of Bakura's punishment for him and a fate worse then death itself, the pale Demon had cast Marik out of his bed and affections until further notice, it also include no touching, kissing or sex of any kind… truly a fate worse then death.

"Bakura really has him." Malik looked back at his mate unaware of what was going on between the two. "He got Ryou to fall for him, better then I ever could have imagined."

"It's a good thing, isn't it?" Marik mumbled.

"Oh yeah." Malik turned to him and smiled, adding. "I'm going to call Yugi and let him know Ryou is okay and he's staying with us." He placed a kiss to Marik's lips as he walked by him and out of the room.

Marik walked over to the bed and stood next to it for a few minutes, before he lent down and wiped the hair from Bakura's eyes and placed a kiss to his cheek and pulled away turning for the door. Bakura growled pulling Ryou closer to him and then opened his eyes. "Marik?"

"I was thinking it might be best that you offer Ryou to live here with us." Marik ran his hand through his wild hair.

"I think he was staying with Yugi to avoid his father." Bakura mumbled closing his eyes. "I could protect him better here." He said agreeing with Marik, the house was protected by five Demons and no one could enter the grounds with out them really knowing about it, and any mortal that tried to break in, would be every sorry that they did.

"Goodnight." Marik said bluntly as he walked out of the room.

Bakura sighed, had he been too tough on setting the punishment for Marik? Maybe he'd let it go and let Marik back into his bed before tomorrow night.

* * *

"Just do your part!" Ishizu hissed, standing at the end of an alleyway.

"You want us to kill their mates?" Asked a second female voice from the shadows, Ishizu just nodded her head. "Why?" She asked and added. "You're going to bring about another war by doing this."

"Because one of them is really special." Ishizu snapped. "I have told you all of this before and we made a deal, you help me out and I'll help you out and the only way I can get what I want is by taking him." knowledge was the best weapon in the world and combined that with the most powerful Witch and she was unstoppable.

"How special?" Asked the female Vampire suspiciously from the safety of the shadows, Ishizu had been working with a small group of renegade Vampires that she paid good money for in hunting down Demons, but this new group of Vampires might not be so easily bought or manipulated.

"Lets just say, your Lord would be very interested in him, but I only want you to watch him for me." Ishizu said brushing her black hair from her eyes, saying. "Follow the Demon lord Yami and the Healer Seto, find out who their Mates are and kill them. The Demon Bakura has a mate but you'll want that human alive, but you'll have to kill the Demon… as for the Demon Marik… kill him, disembowel him, use him as a suck toy, but leave Malik alive and for me to take care of."

"You want us to kill Demons and take their Mates…" The Vampire trailed off and looked about Ishizu could feel her nervousness. "The Servants are here." The Vampire suddenly whispered in fear and panic etched her voice as she vanished. Ishizu turned around and looked up to see her men drop their weapons and flee, even her partners Shadi and Odeon ran using magic to conceal themselves, not that it would work the Servants would find them anyway.

Suddenly Ishizu fell to the ground hard on her hands and knees and looked up. "Our Master, wants to know if you have found him yet?" Asked a soft feminine voice.

Though Ishizu couldn't see the one talking to her but she found herself shaking in fear like she was five years old and confronted by the boogieman under her bed. "Ishizu!" It hissed at her from somewhere on her left. She trembled and couldn't speak. She shook her head no. "Shall I go back and tell my Master that you simply refused to talk to me?" A freezing chill ran up the Witch's spine as if it was a hand.

"No." Ishizu said still trembling, _The Servants_ were known as something ancient that used old dark magic, but they were new coming in their human form, something much darker and dangerous then anything that had come out of their realm. There was two of them and they worked for the one known as the Master, he wasn't anything to be frightened of because no one really knew him or seen him yet. It was his damned Servants that he summoned up from the bowels of darkness to serve him and he sent them out looking for someone that had every Witch, Demon, Werewolf and any other fleeing just by the sight of them, there was no word to match the fear these beings brought with them, when confronting someone. "I have looked, but his not here." Ishizu said trembling, if they found out she was lying, she would be dead before she could take in a breath of air.

"Then I can safely say that you'll be moving on?" She appeared in front of her, completely covered by a black cloak from head to foot.

"Within the week." Ishizu looked up trying not to let the fear reach her face but it didn't work, as the other seemed to purr. "Personal time."

"Very well. But remember. The Master saved your life." She vanished but her voice echoed through out the alleyway. "He can take it away."

Ishizu waited for a few minutes still shaking before she stood and found tears running down her cheeks, she quickly wiped them away and started to head home, disgusted with herself that the presence of a _Servant_ had reduced her to trembling in fear like some child.

Great, now she had only a week to fulfill her plan and move on, before the Master sent out his Servants for her again, sure she was playing a dangerous game, but the most powerful Witch in the world would take down the Master and his Servants snatch away their powers for herself, get her brother back and all would be right in the world and to do that, she would need the little human.

* * *

**TBC**

Yes the ending to this chap was in the original as a slight introduction for the final installment of my series, so** R&R **people.


	22. Chapter 22

**Warnings:** Lemmon in this chap… and Disclaimer are as followed in the first and other chaps… I own nothing! Sigh.

**Chap 22.**

* * *

"Thanks Malik." Yugi said then hung up the phone and turned to Yami, with a grin. "They have Ryou at their place now and he's fine." The teen gave a sigh of relief.

"That's good." Yami said looking up from the couch.

"Yeah it is I was worried about him." Yugi smiled but it faulted as Yami had a mischievous smirk as the Demon got up and approached him.

"I'm glad to see you happy again." The Demon Lord ran a finger down Yugi's cheek and under his chin and lifted it up and kissed him on the lips, he ran his tongue over Yugi's bottom lip and gave it a small nip. The human groaned as he opened his mouth for Yami who groaned into the kiss as their tongues met. Yami backed him up to the wall and pressed himself against the smaller body and lifted Yugi up a little and pinned him in place. The Demon lifted the shirt up to get to the skin and raked his hand and nails lightly over the human's chest.

"Yami what are we doing" Yugi bit his lip and panted as he grinded his hips into Yami's.

"Fooling around, you don't mind do you?" Yami said his lips never leaving the tender skin of the others neck, using a small amount of his powers to help Yugi along in getting aroused, not that he needed much helping.

"No." Yugi moaned out as Yami assaulted his chest with his lips and tongue. "Here Yami?"

"Yes here." The Demon Lord growled pulling away from a nipple to attack the other.

"No we can't…" Yugi wriggled about, struggling to get his words out. "Not here."

"My place then, now!" Yami growled out now taking in his earlobe to nibble on, he had decided that he would take his first night of the Mating season here, now, with Yugi.

"Yes!" Yugi drabbed at Yami's jacket and slipped it off his shoulders and it fell to the living room floor. "No, I mean my room." The Demon grinned as he placed a searing kiss to the human's lips. Yugi wrapped his legs about Yami's waist and his arms about his neck as he was pulled away from the wall.

Yami carried him up the stairs and stumbled once making Yugi laugh at him, but by the time they reached the top they were back into kissing. Yugi told him what door and it was opened and they stumbled in, Yami having a little trouble thanks to the human that was rubbing himself against him. Yami kicked the door closed with his foot, still locked in a kiss; he removed Yugi's top and his own and laid the other on the bed and climbed on top of him.

Another rain of kisses were placed along Yugi's neck up to his jaw line and to his mouth, earning a groan as he went and couldn't help but smirk at the sounds that Yugi made at his touch. Yugi raked his hands over Yami's chest and then down his back. "You're okay with this?"

Yugi nodded his head and said. "I'm fine." Though he had no idea on why he wanted to do this so badly, it didn't help that he was so eager for Yami to keep going with what they were doing.

He ran his hands through Yugi's hair as he pulled him into a deep kiss that left Yugi's lungs burning for air, lightheaded. He panted as Yami moved lower on his body to his chest taking one of his nipples into his mouth, Yugi gasped and arched his back as Yami bit it and then licked to sooth it and moved down.

His fingers making quick work of his pants and before Yugi knew it they were off and on the floor with the other clothes. By this stage it was the heat in Yami's body and the need that now took over for him. Yami growled as he took Yugi's length into his mouth, but the Demon lord didn't want the foreplay, he wanted Yugi's body, the smaller cried out his hands in Yami's hair as he arched his back again.

Another delightful cry fed the lust in the Demon, he lent up on all fours over the top of Yugi and ran two fingers over his lips and pressed them in, grinning when the human sucked on them greedily, Yugi locked eyes with the natural crimson eyes of Yami, who stared back at him, knowing in the back of his mind that there was no pulling out in what they were doing and he didn't want to. Yami soon pulled them out to allow room to kiss Yugi properly and he gave a whimper as Yami pulled away completely.

Yami moved his finger in and out of Yugi's body and another loud cry came from him… Yami wanted to hear more, have the human writhing and screaming his name, letting the world know that the human was now owned and mated by the Lord of Demons. Yami soon had added the final finger and slid them in, just because this is what he wanted and needed there was no point in hurting the other for self-satisfaction as the next time they did this it wouldn't be met with reluctance.

A sharp gasp from Yugi and he suddenly bucked his hips again, but Yami just continued to move them in and out as he sucked on Yugi's length, until his body had relaxed around his fingers.

Yugi cried out in protest as Yami's body heat had left him completely, but found Yami suddenly leaning over him. He hadn't been planning to take Yugi but he wasn't being stopped either. The Demon Lord frowned maybe, he pulled down his slightly used powers to see Yugi would want to keep doing; Yami himself had pulled up some self control, to ask as the human panted for air. "Are you okay with this?"

"Oh shit, you're not going to stop?!" There was a pleading whine to his voice and it made Yami laugh and shake his head.

"The Apocalypse couldn't pull me away now." Yami frowned as he looked about around "Shit." He growled out he hadn't come prepared, hell he didn't expect to do this with Yugi tonight.

"What is it?" Yugi watched from the flat of his back giving Yami a puzzled look.

"I can't keep going unless I have some lube." Yami cursed himself; he always carried a small bottle on him for this time of year just in case the opportunity arose without attachments.

"Nightstand, top draw." Yugi pointed at it as Yami lent over and opened it, he felt about for a second and pulled out the small bottle. "And why do you have this in your draw?" Yami purred. "Is there something I should know?" He teased.

"It was a prank birthday gift from Joey and Ryou they thought it was funny." Yugi blushed. Yami smirked as he squeezed some of the bottles contents onto his hand before coating his own member with it.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay with this?" Yami asked making sure. "There is not getting back what I'll be taking from you." Yugi knew what he was talking about and nodded his head.

"I'm okay, keep going." Yami lent forward feeling his heart skip a beat as he kissed Yugi, not his needy hungry way that always came with sex, but tender and loving and it still stole Yugi's breath away.

Yami was happier now more then ever as Yugi was willing to give himself over to him and to satisfy the need his body screamed for. Yami moved himself in between Yugi's thighs and the human wrapped his legs around Yami's waist as he positioned himself at Yugi's entrance.

Yami lent forward. "I love you." He whispered and covered Yugi's mouth with his own and swallowed the scream as Yami pressed himself completely into the body. Releasing Yugi's mouth when his scream turned to mere whimpers, nails were embedded in Yami's back as an attempt to deal with the pain, Yami held him and himself in place. He waited for Yugi to adjust to his size. "Just relax Yugi it doesn't hurt as much." Yami whispered into his ear, licked it and nuzzled his neck.

Yami pulled his head away and looked down when a sharp intake of breath from Yugi, worried to see tears running down his cheeks. Yami kissed them away as he shifted his weight and slowly pulled out and pushed back in, Yugi's grip and his nails dug into his back, the Demon hissed and continued his slow movements. Yugi tightened his legs around the others waist again, and the Demon held still and waited for the answer he needed, Yugi thrust his hips against Yami's own hips.

Yami smirked and then pulled out slowly until only the head remained before thrusting back in and repeated a few times more. "Yes!" Yugi ran his hands through Yami's hair and then down his back.

Yami wanted to draw this out to make him enjoy it, to take his time he adjusted his thrusts, knowing where to aim and was rewarded when it was dead on. "YAMI!" Yugi screamed out, the pleasure was over whelming for the young teen.

They set a pace quickly, thrusting into him hard, reached down in-between their bodies and to pump Yugi's own erection in time with their hips. He matched Yami's pace easily, Yami smirked, it seems that Yugi is a screamer; the others were going to have a field day if they did this at his house. "YES! YAMI!" Yugi gripped onto the sheets and arched his back almost off the bed.

Yami lent in and he bit down on Yugi's chest enough to draw some blood, as Yami licked it up leaving a mark behind, that was it as Yugi screamed out Yami's name as he came, and Yami's own grunts and moans and hearing Yugi scream like that was all he needed, as he sunk as deeply as he could, ramming himself to the hilt in a bruising thrust as he came, he too called out Yugi's name.

They held their positions eyes locked and panting, Yami was simply amazed no Demon or human had lasted as long as Yugi did; oh this was going to be one beautiful… "Yugi!" Both their eyes widened Yugi's more so in horror and he just about stopped breathing. "Yugi, are you alright in there?" There came a knock on the door.

"It's Grandpa!" Yugi's face paled as he started hyperventilating and whispered out. "What do I do?"

"Are you alright my boy? I heard you scream." He knocked on the door again and tried the handle of the door, Yami turned his head and narrowed his eyes using a small amount of powers he forced the lock in place preventing the old man from entering the room.

"Calm down, just take a deep breath." Yami instructed him. "He can't get in or see you." He placed light kisses along Yugi's jaw line to ease him. "Just tell him you hurt yourself and he'll go away."

Yugi licked at his dry lips and gave a nod of his head. "Yeah, I just hit my knee on the desk, Grandpa." Yami smirked watching closely as Yugi bit his lip hoping his Grandpa would go away.

"Be careful next time."

"I will." Yugi called back.

"Goodnight, Yugi." The old man called out.

"Night, Grandpa." Yugi listened as the old man walked to the end of the hallway and hearing his door close. Yugi let out the breath he had been holding. "Do you think he heard us? Ahh this is so embarrassing."

"I think if he did he'd be breaking down your door about now." Yami rolled off and pulled Yugi onto his chest, as he pulled up the blankets over their cooling bodies. Yami ran his fingers through Yugi's hair as he looked up out of the skylight to see nothing but stars.

"Yami will you stay with me tonight?" Yugi yawned and closed his eyes as he snuggled up to Yami's chest and the warmth.

"Until morning, okay." Yugi nodded his head, the Demon looked down at his new mate, Yugi was marked to keep him safe from any others that might try to take him for themselves, and humans sometimes fall victim to the other worlds inhabitants, Yami didn't want to lose him that way.

A dread like feeling now sat like dead weight in his stomach, all he had to do now was get Yugi to mark him and tell him that the human was now mated to a Demon and not just any Demon, but the Lord himself. He looked up out the window again; maybe he had gotten carried away with the teen, and should have waited and went about it the right way, by telling Yugi what he was and what he had now hoped for the two of them, as Yugi's life as his mate would not be an easy one when it came to facing the council.

Yami slid down more into the bed with a growl, damn it! He was the Lord and he could do what the bloody hell he liked and if anyone was going to argue with him they would feel his wrath. "Yami?" Yugi looked up.

"Yes."

"You should get some sleep, you look tired as well." Yami nodded he was tired the mating season had kept him awake some nights tossing and turning in his bed, but now his nights would be much easier now that he had Yugi. Yami closed his eyes clearing his head of all his thoughts and pulled Yugi closer to him, they both fell asleep together.

* * *

Marik rolled onto his side to wrap his arms around where Bakura would be and found the spot in front of him empty. He was a little confused at first but remembered the punishment set by Bakura himself. Marik opened his eyes that had a milky paleness to otherwise dark lavender eyes. He lifted his head up seeing nothing but complete darkness, he mumbled a small chant of a few words and his eyes turned to their dark lavender state once again. The room was lit up by the moonlight that came through a crack in the drapes, now that he could see. Marik looked next to him and saw Malik laying on his stomach fast a sleep. Marik sat up and glanced about the dark room, wondering what had woken him up, as nothing moved or was out of place.

Marik slid from the bed without waking his mate and left the room silently, only in his red long pants and bare foot. He walked downstairs to see the light flood out across the entrance hall from under the kitchen door. His stomach growled at him in hunger… Marik pushed open the kitchen door to find Ryou at the stove with his back to the door. Marik not wanting to make himself known just yet watched the human from the doorway.

He was dressed in Bakura's long black bathrobe, his white hair much like Bakura's fell to the middle of his back… what was he doing? Marik wondered as he walked in more. "Couldn't sleep?" Ryou jumped and turned around with a startled gasp placing a hand over his heart.

"You scared me half to death."

"Sorry." Marik mumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck. "You weren't in bed and I… umm… just wanted to see if you were alright." Marik cursed himself for sounding like an idiot in front of the human. "You look fine. So I'll just go back to bed." Marik looked him over one last time and turned to leave.

"Marik?" Ryou called out stopping the demon at the door; he glanced over his shoulder as the teen continued. "Would you like something to drink?" Ryou turned slightly picking up a pot and holding it up. "I made hot chocolate."

Marik shook his head no, saying. "I'm not a chocolate fan." The Demon just didn't see or was just to nervous to be around the human, strange that he could fight the most toughest of beasts, fight in life threatening wars without batting an eye, but this human made him fall over his own words, made his heart quicken and stop… with just a look or the smallest of touches, why?

"I'll make you a coffee then… or I could." Ryou placed the hot deep pan down on the counter, using his better hand. "I just wanted to let you know how thankful I am that you have helped me out so much." Ryou looked over at him; Marik still had his back to him and had even stopped looking at him. "You… I know the least about." Ryou bit his lip in nervousness for a second then added. "If fours a crowd Marik and I'm stepping on your toes, I'll be happy to leave now." Tears burned at Ryou's eyes as he bowed his head, he really didn't want to give them up, any of them even the reserved Marik himself.

Ryou gasped as he found his backside up against the counter and the front of his body pressed into by Marik's own and arms wrapped around his waist. "You're not a crowd or stepping on my toes… I just find it hard when I'm around you."

Ryou looked up as he placed his hands slowly on Marik's upper arms. "Why?" He asked shaking slightly from anticipation and being scared, only a few times he had been this close to Marik before.

Marik lent in holding Ryou's stare. "Because like Malik and Bakura, I too love you… and would you forgive me for how I have treated you so far?"

"I think I can." Ryou whispered and with that Marik kissed him, starting out slow and parted his lips and that was all Marik needed and wanted to deepened the kiss, rubbing his tongue against the human's, who he held tightly onto his arms. Ryou groaned as he moved his hands up and placed them on both side of Marik's face as was he lifted up to sit on the counter. Marik moved Ryou's legs to either side of his hips, running his hands up over the human's knees and up Ryou's outer thighs making the robe ride up and part. Ryou let out a gasp as he was pulled forward by his hips and flush against the tanned Demon's chest.

Ryou's scent was just to alluring for the Demon to ignore it; Marik pulled open the top half of the robe and pulled it down Ryou's arms it bunched up at his elbows. Marik growled at seeing the few bruises that were in the final stages of healing. Marik lightly ran his fingers over the purple bruise on Ryou's rib. "No ones going to hurt you again, not as long as I'm breathing." Marik promised as he pulled Ryou even closer to him and attached his mouth to the teen's neck.

"Marik." Ryou breathed out and tilted his head back; it was when Marik felt his own hardness press against the teen that made him stop and rested his head against Ryou's neck. He could hear the human's rapid heart beat as he panted for air. He didn't realize that he had seduced Ryou so easily and it might have gone as far as him taking the teen here on the counter, which might have happened if he hadn't already partly satisfied his Mating seasons needs with his own mate.

Ryou worried that Marik might have seen and didn't like something, asked. "Marik, are you okay?" The Demon looked up at him, Ryou wondered if he had done something wrong to make him stop, and strange enough it had felt so different from the other times he had been forced by Honda and that guy that was so willing to pay for his body, _why?_

"Never felt better." Marik lent in and kissed him again. "Can I still get that coffee?" Ryou blushed but laughed with a shake of his head.

"Sure." Ryou bit his lip as he reached out a hand and slowly kneaded Marik's chest muscle; he shyly looked up into Marik's eyes asking. "If you promise me that you'll finish what you started some time?"

Marik raised an eyebrow smirking as he said. "It'd be my honor." He then helped Ryou back onto his feet making sure the teen's body moved against him on the way to standing, his chest, stomach and pelvis, all brushed against Marik making him purr. He held Ryou against him for a few more minutes, and then helped the teen to straighten out the robe. "Are you hungry?" Marik asked.

Malik sat up rubbing at his eye and looked about seeing the bed empty he got up and walked down into Bakura's room, thinking that's where Marik might have gone, seeing that Bakura was the only one in the bed he felt slightly panicked. "What are you doing?" Bakura mumbled as he rolled over.

Malik jumped a little he knew Bakura was a light sleeper. "Marik's gone as well as Ryou." He walked over to the bathroom and looked in.

"They're just out hunting." Malik stopped and looked at Bakura, who seemed to be asleep again. "Ryou doesn't feed!" Bakura blurted out as he sat up looking about, now he was worried.

Malik left the room only to have Bakura stumble after him half asleep. "He wouldn't have left." He mumbled, Malik walked down the stairs to see the light from the kitchen was on.

They both walked into the kitchen opening the door to find Marik leaning on the counter with a mug in his hand, Ryou laughed as he stood at the stove cooking, still wearing Bakura's black robe.

To Malik and Bakura's surprise, Ryou held up a spoon to Marik with some food on it, the Demon took the small mouthful, swallowed it down and pulled Ryou into kiss, leaving the teen breathless, weak at the knees and blushing. "This is interesting." Bakura said as Ryou turned around. "What are you guys doing up at this hour?" Curiosity in Bakura's tone as this looked promising, Ryou just blushed.

"I came down for a drink and we're hungry." Ryou turned back to the stove; Marik had a smirk on his lips as if he had been the cat that got the cream. "Are you hungry? There's more then enough." Ryou looked over his shoulder at them; Marik had been helping to hold the heavy pan.

Malik walked to the fridge saying. "I'll get the drinks."

Bakura walked over to Ryou and wrapped his arms about his waist. "I see you two are getting along and I have to say that it's about time."

"Why wouldn't we?" Marik glanced at Bakura; the pale Demon just shrugged his shoulder and continued watching Ryou cook.

Soon the food was placed onto the table and they sat down to eat, Ryou couldn't believe that they could eat so much. Marik gave Malik a curious and worried look as his Mate had not said more then a few words and kept his head down as he pushed the food about his plate. Normally Malik would be all over Ryou, talking to him in his flirtatious way, but there he sat, head down, shoulders hunched and silent. Malik suddenly stood up unable to bring himself to look at anyone. "I'm done." He mumbled left his still full plate on the table and walked out of the room.

"He didn't like my cooking." Ryou bit his lip as he stared at the plate, it didn't bother him as much as Malik not looking at him.

He stood up gathered his plate to drop it into the sink. "Your cooking was fine Ryou, but we do have to go out soon." Marik said as he watched Ryou at the sink, hearing the water running.

"Okay, I'll just be on my way." Ryou bit his lip not really liking the idea of walking about the streets at this hour of the morning, especially when he had nothing to wear but for that bed sheet.

"You don't have to leave." Bakura said as he approached the human. "Go back to bed and wait for us." Bakura now trapped him at the sink putting his arms on both sides of Ryou's body. "You should really move in here with us."

"But there are so many that live here already, I don't want to intrude or be a bother." Ryou looked up into dark brown eyes, he knew that there were two others that lived in the house as well and they were hardly seen, but still it would feel uncomfortable.

"There is plenty of room and if you like we'll even give you a bedroom of your very own." Bakura said.

"I don't know." Ryou blushed at the intense stare Bakura had on him, in truth Ryou had no place to go. Yugi's grandpa had said that he really couldn't stay there anymore and he sure as hell wasn't going home to his father again, not after what had happened.

"Think about my offer." Bakura said, moving a hand to stroke Ryou's cheek, the Demon placed a kiss to Ryou's lips and pulled away giving the human room to move again.

"I will." Ryou said softly.

"I'll take you back to Yugi's later." Marik said getting up. "I better go see to Malik." Marik dumped his plate into the sink a brief kiss to Ryou's lips and turned to leave.

The conversation came to mind when Malik had brought him back here after the incident at the apartment. "Marik, let me talk to him?" Ryou said as he dried off his hands, careful of his injured wrist.

"I'm not sure if it's anything you can do." Marik said as he watched Ryou walk by, Marik knew that his mate was on the more sensitive side and he literarily wore his heart on his sleeve, stab it and it would bleed, Marik always believed.

"I think it's my fault." Ryou said as he backed up out the door, Marik glanced at Bakura once Ryou was gone from the room.

The pale Demon shrugged a shoulder saying. "You know Ryou was always better about the matters of the heart." Bakura took his seat again and picked up his cup of tea.

Ryou found the tanned Demon in his room that he shared with Marik; Ryou knocked on the open door and stepped in to see Malik getting dressed. "What's wrong?" Malik asked with his back to the human as he pulled up his black jeans.

"About before, I just wanted to say thank you." Malik stopped his hands and stood up straight, his large back wings ruffled slightly on his back in slight irritation.

"It's fine." Ryou flinched slightly at his cold tone, biting his lip as he wasn't sure what he had done to make Malik angry with him, was it because he refused healing? Or maybe it was asking to be left alone?

"I'm…"

"You better just go to bed… the sun will be up soon." Malik cut in, but gasped and tensed up as fingers ran through his feathered wings, deep enough to touch the soft skin and hard muscles concealed under the feathers.

"I'm sorry about before." Ryou walked around to stand in front of him. His right hand still in the thick of the feathers, slowly moving and feeling their way down to Malik's back were feathers met flesh. The Demon shuddered and Malik felt himself melt into the soft caress. "I didn't mean to upset you, Malik."

Taking in a sharp breath Malik gained control over himself and pulled away from any contact Ryou had on him. "You did." Malik hissed out and crossed his arms over his chest and turned his head away in a scowled. His wigs ruffled again as if to shake of the lingering feeling of Ryou's touch, but it didn't work as his skin tingled and he was silently begging for more.

"Malik." Ryou said softly, he found it hurt somewhat that Malik was like this. He approached the Demon and used his hand and lifted his chin back up and made Malik look at him. "I love you too." Malik's eyes widened and his wings dropped down slightly from their tense pose as he just stared at Ryou and couldn't help it as he broke out into a smile.

"Really?" When Ryou nodded his head yes, Malik pulled him into a hug placing a kiss to his lips.

"Malik, we have to go." Marik said from the door, smirking he had seen and heard everything from the doorway.

"Okay." Malik looked at him from over his shoulder and turned back to Ryou. "Wait here for us, okay, don't go anywhere." Ryou nodded his head with a smile receiving another kiss and they walked out of the room. He sat down on the bed and made himself comfortable and waited, but as time lagged on he had fallen asleep.

* * *

TBC

I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did writing it,** R&R** me. (Love and Cookies)


	23. Chapter 23

This is one long chap so I hope you enjoy it because a lot happens in here, I think I have touched down on every couple in this chap… but just so you know we are a little bit off from the end of this story.

**Warnings:** … and Disclaimer are as followed in the first and other chaps… I own nothing! Sigh.

**Chap 23. **

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* * *

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Persistent knocking forced Yugi to open his eyes and curse whoever was knocking at his door. "Yugi?" The teen frowned as last nights events came to his still sleepy fogged mind. He sat up suddenly and winced at the pain that made itself know and looked about, the clothing was gone that belonged to Yami… but all he could see was his own clothing that still laid about were they had been thrown last night. "Yugi are you wake?"

Yugi glanced at the spot where Yami should have been to find it empty and not so warm… not surprised at all in finding the other gone. He sighed as he lay back down onto his back with a small content smile as images flashed through his mind. Yugi remembered through all the pleasurable thoughts that Yami did say that he could only be here until morning and he had kept to his word and stayed all night. Well Yugi only hoped he did. The door opened suddenly and the old man walked in, holding something black in his hands. "Do you know where Ryou is?"

Yugi was a little surprised to be asked such a question, he had thought that at least his Grandpa would have asked more on what happened last night. There it came the blush, Yugi wanted to hide under the covers or make his Grandpa leave, but that would only make the old man suspicious and bring out his questioning. Oh how the old man liked to know everything. "Yeah, he has been staying with Malik." Yugi went to get up, the movement of the sheets against him reminded him that he was in a state of undress and froze looking up at his Grandpa, that blush just got a hole lot deeper. A soft chuckle came and Yugi snapped his eyes towards the shadowed corner of his room, right next to the wardrobe and wall just near the door.

"I don't much care for that boy." The old man frowned and a displeased tone to his voice when he spoke of the strange boy.

"Malik's alright." Yugi said sitting up holding in the wince and making sure the blanket pooled about his hips.

"Oh you didn't see him with his hands and mouth all over Ryou; in our hallway… they were practically having sex." The old man huffed a little angry as if it had been a crime, but then again, just kissing in public was inappropriate and almost offensive for the old man, Yugi raised an eyebrow at him.

"That involves taking your clothes off." Yugi mumbled and the flabbergasted look his Grandpa had. His innocent Grandson knew of sex?!

"Well that boy was just about to if I hadn't shown up." He frowned it might have been a good idea to let Yugi know that sex wasn't a good thing. "He was taking advantage of Ryou..."

Okay Yugi knew the old man would get into a rant and start lecturing him, it was time to intervene before it got out of hand and he would be left with this blush for months to come. "Grandpa?"

"In my house… it might have even turned into rape, poor Ryou. You know Yugi boys like that take advantage of such people like you and Ryou…"

Graaandpaaa!" Yugi wined trying to get the old mans attention, this was embarrassing enough, hearing such words coming from the old man, especially when Yugi knew of the _'bees and bees.' _Well he definitely wasn't interested in the Birds.

"I think this Malik guy is bad news for Ryou, I just know it!"

"Grandpa!" Yugi took on a sterner louder voice, but the old man was still not paying attention to him.

"I don't know if I would like you to be hanging out with such a person Yugi, what if that was you?" A short angry growl came from that corner again and Yugi had looked instantly with a frown and questioned his hearing as there was nothing there, but glancing at the old man who didn't seem to notice.

That was just great; putting such thoughts into his head of him making-out with Malik, Yugi shivered and gave a small shudder of repulsion, not that Malik wasn't good looking or anything like that… it just wasn't right. "GRANDPA!" Yugi shouted, hoping to stop the old man and the thoughts.

"Yes my boy?" The old man blinked a few times as if hearing the young teen for the first time that morning.

"Can you leave I want to get dressed?" He pointed to the door, knowing that his Grandpa was just rambling and wouldn't leave any time soon until he was done, some times it paid to be blunt.

"Oh… Oh right." The old man gave a nervous laugh and walked out of the room, Yugi sighed and was about to get up when his Grandpa came back in again. "Who owns this?" He held up a black jacket in his hand, Yugi froze in pulling off the blanket, if the old man saw him naked he would ask far to many questions about his state of undress. "I found this on the living room floor last night."

It was Yami's jacket, Yugi remembered pulling it off the older male yesterday afternoon and leaving it on the living floor. Yugi was glad that it hadn't been Yami's boxers or his shirt. "That's Yami's." Yugi watching as his Grandpa placed it on the end of his bed. "He must have just forgot his jacket last night." Yugi once again blushed as his mind was assaulted with thoughts all because of a bit of clothing.

The old man gave Yugi a skeptical look and said nothing for a few minutes, there was something up with the boy and he would find out soon even if it killed him, he finally spoke up. "Fair enough just let your, friend know that my house isn't his dumping ground and his jacket should be placed on the hanger near the front door."

"I'll let him know, Grandpa." Yugi said still sitting in his bed.

"Good." The old man nodded in satisfaction of getting his point across and added. "Breakfast is in ten." Yugi nodded his head and waited until his Grandpa was gone, he then rubbed at his lower half as it ached horribly.

Yugi got up and closed the door and grabbed a pair of his boxers and slipped into them. "I though he would never leave." Yugi jumped as Yami wrapped his arms about him from behind.

"I thought you couldn't stay." Yugi turned in his arms wondering how he missed Yami being in the room, it wasn't as if there were any great hiding places to begin with.

"Well, I couldn't leave without my favorite jacket now could I?" Yami said smirking as he let go of Yugi and plucked his black jacket from the end of the bed and pulled it on. "Best damn jacket I have ever owned." He glanced at Yugi with a playful smirk.

"You pig!" Yugi playful hit him on the arm. You could have at least said that you missed me!" Yami laughed as he backed up to the half open window, the Demon Lord captured the human in his arms.

"I also couldn't leave without saying goodbye to you." He said seriously pulling Yugi into a deep kiss. He ran his hands up Yugi's bare back as their tongues, rubbed and slid over each other, within a few minutes the Demon was pushing the human back towards the bed with a purr. Yami ran his hands down over silk boxers and grabbed at Yugi's rear end and lifted him slightly off his feet.

Yugi let out a small whimper and pushed him back a little standing on his own feet again as Yami took that step backwards. "You better cool it Mr. my Grandpa is downstairs and expecting me in ten minutes."

That grin just went from playful to mischievous within a short second. "That's plenty of time for a blowjob."

Yugi blushed and surprising with all the blood that had rushed to his cheeks, it was a wonder that the human was still on his feet and hadn't passed out from the lack of blood to the brain. "Get the hell out!" Yugi playfully yell angrily but it failed to come across as such in their playfulness, Yami just laughed again, he couldn't help it Yugi was just to cute. He moved himself out the window and lent back in.

That mischievous smirk hadn't moved from those kissable lips once and with a seductive voice spoke up again. "What about a…" He was cut short as he ducked out the window as Yugi closed it on him, a mischievous grin of his own.

"Bye Yami." Yugi waved with a small laugh and closed the drapes as well for good measure. There was a yelp followed by the sound of branches breaking followed by a heavy thud. Yugi wide eyed and slightly panicked threw open the drapes and opened the window and lent out, gasping as he saw Yami laying flat on his back on the ground. "Are you alright?" He called out worriedly.

"I think I broke something." Yami called back up from the flat of his back, Yugi groaned placing a hand over his face. "Your grass may look soft but its not… just thought you should know."

"Will you just get out of here, before you're seen." Yugi hissed back worried that his Grandpa might have heard the noise or the neighbour would come looking. The last thing he needed was for Yami to been seen, it was just until he worked up enough courage to tell the old man.

"Ashamed of me, Yugi? I'm hurt. You could have at least ran to my side in tears and worried for my well being." Yami sat up pulling a small branch from the back of his shirt.

"Not my fault if you're a klutz." Yugi hissed out, by the way Yami was acting, he knew the other wasn't hurt and it wasn't as if the second floor of the house was that high anyway some of the branches would have broken his fall just a little.

Yami got up dusting himself off calmly, him a klutz? The Demon Lord himself, a klutz, something had to be done, he glanced up at Yugi and said with a smirk. "I'll make you pay for that comment." He then blew Yugi a kiss. "Bye." With that he dashed off. Yugi sighed as he turned around. He'd have enough time to have a nice hot shower to rid himself of the annoying pain in his lower half. But he smiled at the thought of when he could see Yami again.

* * *

Ryou knocked on Joey's apartment door glancing up at Bakura who insisted on coming along. The Demon not wanting a repeat of what had almost happened when he let Ryou out of his sight the last time. "Why are we are here?" Bakura asked glancing up and down the empty hallway. When the Demon had gotten back this morning from his feeding. He found Ryou asleep in his bed, he had, and dare he say it, _cuddled_ for the lack of the better word, with the human until it was time to get up… cuddled. He almost snorted at the idea, there were so much more better things to be doing in bed besides cuddling. Ryou had told them he was leaving early to stop by his friend's apartment. So Bakura guessed there was no time for anything else, but to cuddle. It was still nice to have the human pressed up against him and almost naked and under the covers just the two of them… The Demon growled and shifted on his feet uncomfortably, damn mating season.

Bakura had insisted on driving Ryou over to this apartment and then to school, where he knew Ryou would be safe and under the watchful eyes of Malik.

"Because, Joey is my friend and I haven't seen him in a few days." Ryou knocked again. "I want to see if he is okay, I'm worried about him." The teen though a little rough about the edges at times wasn't one to miss so much school.

"Malik told me half the school is off with this disease." Bakura mumbled as he watched Ryou knock again. He had to wonder what kind of plague had made so many sick and just how quickly did it spread?

"The flu isn't a disease." Ryou shook his head. "It's a virus that lasts just a few days to a week, maybe two weeks tops."

"And what's the cure for this flu?" Bakura asked, he had never been sick like the humans do, but Demons still had their own viruses to contended with.

"Cure?" Ryou frowned glancing at Bakura. "One would normally just stay in bed or at home until it's gone."

Bakura smirked wickedly as he moved in a little closer to the human. "Why don't you follow example. Fake a sick week and spend it with me in bed. That way you won't be at risk of getting this flu." The heat for mating had now grown noticeable in his body, making him itchy and flustered at times and it was getting harder for Marik and Malik to satisfy him. By the end of the week he knew he'd be jumping the human like some rabid sex starved monster, which could be a good thing… on the down side. He didn't want to scare off the human and would have to go into hibernation for the week, which meant no Ryou for that time.

"I can't do that." Ryou frowned at him blushing and he had never skipped out on school unless it was a good reason, but then again, something like that Bakura would think it was good enough reason.

"I'd so make it worth your while." Bakura snorted his hands on his hips as he now glared at the door slightly irritated. Taking Ryou's words as an insult that the human didn't find him desirable enough to take to bed.

"I'm sure it would be more worth '_your'_ while." Ryou knocked again with a small smile to his lips and waited.

"You never know unless you try it." Ryou gasped as Bakura lent so close. He was able to take a small nibble to Ryou's earlobe and the human knew at this point they weren't talking about skipping out on school, Bakura whispered. "I do so want to try it with you." Bakura moved in more and Ryou moved backwards and had pressed his back to the door. He blushed at the thought of Joey opening the door and finding the two making-out.

"I don't think he's home." Ryou blurted out in a desperate change of conversation, he ducked to the side and stepped away from Bakura a little and the door, ignoring what the Demon had said to him, plus he was blushing and to shy to answer back.

The pale Demon took in a deep breath and fought the urge to re-adjust his pants now that they were a little tighter then before. This was murder and he didn't know how much longer he could wait for his shy love to be ready. "If he is sick, he's not going to get up and answer a door, I know I wouldn't." He said turning his eyes from the door to Ryou and seeing the displeased and worried look on the others face. "Unless it was you knocking on my door." Bakura covered up nicely as he moved a littler closer to his human but not quite touching. Ryou reached up and gripped lightly onto Bakura's open jacket. "Come on you're going to be late." Bakura said as he brushed some hair from Ryou's eyes. "I'm sure he'll show up soon." He reassured and watched as Ryou spared the door one last look as Bakura wrapped an arm about his shoulder as they walked down the hallway back to the lifts. There was no point in getting all hot and heavy in the hallway, it was better saved for when they were alone and wouldn't be interrupted.

**

* * *

**

Later that afternoon, Ryou had an escort back to Yugi's house. He was still worried that Joey still hadn't turned up but what was more surprising was that neither had Yugi. "Are you sure you can't stay with us another night?" Bakura asked, feeling that the short afternoon spent with the human was indeed far too short for his liking.

"I shouldn't, I really have to talk to Grandpa about what had happened." Ryou bit his lip he really didn't want to tell anyone else about what had almost happened.

"Keep in mind that you have a place with us." Bakura reminded him again. "And if you need me call me, no hesitating, got that." He ordered sternly and moved in a little closer to the human. "Are you sure you want to do this on your own?"

"I'll call if I need you and yes I'm going to be okay on my own." Ryou said and his eyes widened slightly as Malik moved passed Bakura cupped the humans face in both hands and kissed him soundly on the lips and parted them briefly and a small brush of tongues.

Malik pulled back slightly with a smile and a faint blush. "The sooner you move in with us the better." Ryou's blush was darker then Malik's and he nodded his head.

"We should be going." Bakura said he was worried about Marik, who he hadn't seen all day, which was odd as Marik was always seen about the house and it wasn't like he had a job. Since Malik wasn't on edge or upset in anyway, Bakura thought the other was okay and doing something for himself. Malik's goodbye was another kiss and soon moved back and waited for Bakura.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay talking to the old man?" Bakura asked now standing right in front of him in the doorway, making sure that Ryou was comfortable with what he was going to be doing.

"I'm sure and I'll give you word for word detail on what was said." Ryou smiled, as Bakura raised an eyebrow at him but he was happy with that, he had to be for now.

Suddenly the door opened and Yugi stood in the doorway, he had almost run into Ryou and Bakura. "I thought I heard voices out here." Bakura growled as he was pushed aside as if he was nothing and Yugi hugged Ryou. "I was worried about you; even though Malik called I was still worried about you." He pulled back glancing at Bakura who looked annoyed.

"The school said you were off sick?" Ryou asked looking down at his short friend who had yet to let him go.

"Not sick, sick… just a little under the weather is all." Yugi blushed and tried his best to hide it; Bakura glanced back at Malik who had a small look of interest and amusement. The tanned half Demon knew as well, Yami's scent was all over Yugi and the human had been marked as a mate and it had happened recently.

"You wouldn't have happened to have seen Yami lately?" Malik asked, his expression was guarded well as Yugi suddenly seemed flustered and blushing even worse then before. "No, well I did, yesterday maybe, why?" He stumbled over his words, Bakura not really interested in Yami's personal business growled louder this time, as Yugi still hadn't let go of Ryou. Damn it! The human was his. "Just asking." Malik mumbled smirking in his teasing way.

"Ryou." Bakura hissed, he had taken all he could and he had been patient enough in waiting for Yugi to let go of his human, but it looked like it was never going to happen on its own. The pale Demon walked up and pushed Yugi aside and growled out. _'Mine.'_ As he pulled Ryou into a possessive hug and kissed him, he parted Ryou's lips in a deep but surprisingly gentle kiss as Bakura's tongue ran over and brushed against just about every inch of Ryou's mouth.

Malik bit his lip and clutched his fists at his side, as it was all he could do to stop himself from going over their and joining in, though he would be welcomed to, but he thought it best to give the two a little alone time as he had Ryou to himself at school. Yugi was blushing again and was looking anywhere but at them.

"Are you sure you can't stay with us another night?" Bakura asked again as Ryou lent against him, it seemed the kiss had taken his energy or it just left him weak at the knees. Ryou finding his voice and breath answered. "I'm sure." He pushed against Bakura and stood on his own feet but still in the Demons embrace. "I'll see you tomorrow morning." Bakura said giving Ryou a smile and a kiss to his cheek, as he pulled away he gave Yugi a warning glare and a hiss for him to keep his hands and hugs to himself. Ryou and Yugi watched them leave then headed inside once they were out of sight. Ryou closed the door behind them and lent on it with a sigh and a smile. "You look to be in a good mood." Yugi said as he headed into the living room.

"Oh I am." Ryou said as he followed his friend after taking off his shoes.

"It seems its getting around, almost like a virus." Yugi just about giggled, Ryou raised an eyebrow as he sat down in the armchair wondering what his friend was on about but then it struck him.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with Yami would it?" Ryou asked, kinda catching on to what Malik was talking about. He hadn't missed the lustful looks Yami sent Yugi's way when he wasn't looking. In the short time he had seen them together and when he had, they were joined at the lips and hands just about wanting to rip away clothing as they wandered dangerously.

"It might." Yugi smiled as he turned his head away to hide the blush, he found it so much harder to get rid of now whenever he talked about Yami.

"It might?" Ryou repeated with a knowing smirk. "You two can't keep your hands off each other." Ryou's tone was a teasing one. "I've seen."

"I really like him." Yugi whispered out as he looked towards the doorway seeing if his Grandpa would come running to give him a lecture of some kind and threaten to send him to an all girls school. And with his Grandpa's connections Yugi knew the old man could possibly pull it off and Yugi really didn't want to see himself getting about in a short skirt and knee high socks. "I liked him enough to fool about last night." He mumbled out now his blush was unable to be hidden as it darkened.

Ryou frowned at him as he tried to work out what he was saying, looking for the meaning behind it… "Oh my." Ryou blurted out cutting into his own thoughts. "If you did that… then you must really like him." Ryou couldn't help but blush himself as he recalled a few times on how close he had gotten with Marik and Malik and especially Bakura.

"You don't think of me any differently, do you?" Yugi glanced at the other, Ryou was his best friend along with Joey and Anzu and if they hated him for his choice for a male on male relationship, then he didn't know what he would do should he lose their friendship over it.

"What?!" Ryou shook his head. "Never, I'm happy you like Yami, he's a great guy and I'm sure he'll look after you, their all so nice for what they are." Ryou said and continued. "I never thought that we would end with…"

"What are you talking about?" Yugi frowned cutting in over the top of him. "What do you mean _'for what they are?_'" Ryou closed his month instantly and prayed that he hadn't said anything wrong but the way Yugi was looking at him now. He had to wonder if Yugi knew that Yami was a Demon Lord, if not then Ryou couldn't see their relationship turning out so well.

"Nothing but a really nice guy." Ryou tried to cover up his mistake. "I just never thought that we would find someone who's really nice and almost at the same time."

"Oh he is great and caring too." Yugi was smiling once again and his blush had faded somewhat.

"Oh Ryou you're back." Grandpa said from the doorway with a smile. "I'm ordering in for dinner and we can all have a talk." Both teens nodded their heads and followed the older man into the kitchen; their conversation would pick up again later that night.

**

* * *

**

Joey had been out for the first time in a few days due to Seto, he blushed a little at the thought of the other and what they had done over the last few nights. He stopped and looked about for traffic and pretended not to notice his cheeks aflame. Not seeing any cars he crossed the road to take a short cut through the park on his way home, when the rain started to pour down. "Great, just great!" Joey seethed as he looked up at the dark sky, what a way to end a perfect day.

Seto, Joey had rolled that name about in his head for the last few days and where their relationship was heading. But there was no denying it that Joey had fallen for the strange male, even if he was rough with him most of the time and his first night was horrid. He had started to enjoy it more after the third time, Seto had forcefully-asked when he had showed up at Joey's apartment again and again. Joey let out a sigh, not once had Seto whispered any endearment during and after sex and he always left before the am hours. Seto the jerk came with little words, took what he wanted and left without any trace of him being here. Joey had to wonder if there was any future in this strange and sometimes-scary relationship he had going, if he could call it a relationship.

Joey glanced up and spotted a dark figure of a man leaning against a tree just ahead of him, black leather pants, a long matching jacket, really short red hair. "Hey got the time?" He asked pushing himself off the trunk and walking towards the teen as Joey had neared him.

Joey sighed as he stopped. years of living on his own and hanging out with his gang in his earlier teens before moving here so he knew trouble when he saw it and this guy just screamed it. But he was nothing Joey couldn't handle.

"Why don't you just say, I'm going to mug ya… or is it a code that you bastards use to sound more polite?" Joey had not been expecting to be grabbed by the shoulders and how fast the guy had moved. They both struggled for a few seconds with each other, but the two ended up hitting the ground, Joey on his back as the other leaned over him pinning him to the ground.

"How about." His attacker said only a few inches from Joey's face a glimpse of sharp fangs through smirking lips… a flash of that same smile he had seen on Seto. "I'm a vampire and I'm going to suck you dry and leave you for the birds to peck out your eyes in the morning."

Joey not sure if the guy was a crazy that lived in the park but he sure was getting nervous that this could turn out badly. "Asking for the time sounds much better." Joey said his heart felt like it was going to stop as the other's eyes flashed a bright crimson in the darkness of the park. Joey now had doubts about this guy if he was telling him the truth or was he just playing about, either way he was going to find out because he just couldn't move his limbs at all, it was as if he had no will of his own to move them.

The vampire laughed as he lent up just a little and said. "It does, doesn't it? But what are you going to do about polite society? And one such as myself needs to be polite in order to get the stupid humans such as yourself into my trap." The Vampire hissed as he opened his mouth bared his now much longer fangs that were stained with blood.

"Oh shit." Joey started to struggle as soon as he was able to move as the Vampire lent down on him more almost crushing the human under him. He pulled Joey's head to the side by the hair at the top of his head to bite down on his neck. "Get off me!" Joey yelled, placing his arm against the others throat to keep him at bay and suddenly the weight of the Vampire was gone. Joey relieved of the extra weight stumbled to his feet and ran heading back the way he came. He didn't care if his attacker went after someone else or was scared off, all Joey wanted to do was run home and maybe find Seto waiting for him and wishful thinking he might be even comforted by the other.

Joey only got a few feet as he was grabbed onto again and spun about with his arm behind his back painfully, as an arm crossed over his shoulder and neck and held him in place. "Let him go." Was the calm even voice Joey knew so well and he almost cried out in joy at seeing Seto step out of the shadows. It was all short lived as Seto turned his bright crimson eyes on Joey and his black wings gave a weak flap and sat out a little and up ready for battle or flight. Joey wide-eyed and paler couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Seto had gone to Joey's apparent to find the human gone, very much displeased with his find. He had set out on looking for the human himself and dragging him back where he should have been, and by chance he had seen the human walk into the park and get attacked.

"What makes you think that I would pass up a free meal?" The Vampire grinned taking small steps backwards. "He's got spunk and I bet he tastes even better then he smells."

'_You have no idea on just how good.' _Seto's mind answered, but the Demon said nothing and just gave him a hard cold angry stare.Joey whimpered and closed his eyes as his neck was licked from his shoulder all the way up to his ear… okay he didn't care that Seto was dressed as if he was going to a Halloween party, he wanted to be saved from this mad man.

Seto was absolutely furious that he was visibly trembling to contain his rage; no one dared touched what he claimed as his… Now he was sounding like Bakura, damn this mating season, it was driving him crazy. Seto plunged ahead with his threat anyway. "I'm going to cut that tongue out and post it back to you." Seto promised narrowing his crimson eyes as his right hand rested on a dagger that sat hidden on his waist.

"Funny, that a Demon would be so interested in a human." The Vampire grinned pulling his lips away from Joey's earlobe that he had been nibbling on. "Is he your mate, Demon?"

Joey snapped his eyes open and looked right at Seto as he remembered the mark that was on his right shoulder and it just dawned on him, just what that mark was and from the help of the others words. '_I'm mated to a Demon?'_ Joey thought his eyes locked onto Seto's even if the other wasn't looking at him. "_This is not a mating, understand?"_ Joey had been confused about those words Seto had spoken the first night, it had all come clear. Could it be possible? Joey thought. It would sure explain how Seto was and he wore a mark that couldn't be explained on how it got there and he was unable to wash it away. It would also explain the accessories attached to the taller male, the red eyes, the wings and his fangs. Joey had gotten glimpses of the fangs and the eyes during their nightly activities, but passed it off as tricks of the darkness mixed with light. But funny enough the wings suited him making him even more appealing to look at.

Now the important point here was, would Seto acknowledge it? That as strange as it sounds, that they were mated. Joey knew he was placing all his hope and heart that Seto would accept him as more then what they do on a nightly basis. "Seto" He whispered, calling out secretly for Seto to open up, even if his life was on the line. Joey needed to hear something, anything, which would let him know that Seto cared for him too, even if it was just a little. No one else cared for him not even his own family and it took a Demon with wings, who probably come from some other world to show that he wasn't a waste of space.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Seto growled out, letting a Vampire know that a Demon such as himself had a human, would be dangerous for both of them, and well the human would become an easy target. "What makes you think I would care about a worthless human such as him?" Seto snorted disgustedly and narrowed his eyes even more in hatred. "Don't insult me, Vampire. That I a Healer would lower myself to such a disgusting being." The Demon watched as so much hurt and pain flash openly across Joey's face before he bowed his head almost going limp in the arms that held him against his will.

"Then why is your scent all over him?" The Vampire hissed grinning thinking he was winning in tormenting the Demon.

"Don't you have sex slaves?" Seto snapped, Joey now feeling humiliated at his own thoughts and everything that he had let Seto do to him in the name of _love_, cursed himself for feeling like some stupid fourteen year old school girl with a crush. How could he even think that a Creature, yes a _Creature_ like Kaiba would love him? He most likely had a harem of slaves that were far better looking then him and ones far better and more experienced in bed… But why would Kaiba come here as he sure as hell didn't come to save him? Was he only really just a form of entertainment and something for Kaiba to tell his slaves at home about for a good laugh, since that's all Kaiba saw him as. "How do you survive the mating season without them?" His words cut through Joey's heart like a knife.

There was a whooshing sound and Joey landed hard on the ground grazing his elbow and knees on the cement pathway, when he rolled over and sat up to see Kaiba land a few punches forcing the _Vampire _to flee as soon as he had the opportunity. Kaiba growled the Vampire wasn't off the hook yet. He was irritable in not being able to finish the fight here and now and having to go after the Vampire was time consuming and Seto wasn't going to let him get away with what he did to his human. He walked over to help Joey to his feet and once he had, he pulled him into his arms. "Are you alright, he didn't hurt you did he?" Seto asked and any worry or kindness never reached his cold tone of voice, but he did hold Joey tightly in his arms.

Joey relaxed in the firm hold the first time since they met this was the first hug he got from Seto without wanting anything else to come of it… it felt so good. Joey snapped back to reality growled to himself and pushed Seto away from him angrily. "What do you think you're doing?" Joey gave him a hard glare.

"Joey, I'm not in the mood to argue with you, are you alright?" Seto said but it was more of a demand or scolding.

"I'm fine" Joey snapped back straightening up his clothing and dusting himself off and continued to fuss over himself as he was keeping himself busy so he didn't have to look at the other. He really didn't want Kaiba to know that he was upset about what had been said about him… after all it was just about sex, no attachments. Joey paused in what he was doing and look up at Seto and couldn't stop or help the blush that came to his cheeks as he found the taller male watching him intently. Both stared at each other for a long minute before Joey spoke up. "Are you really what he said you are a, Demon?" Seto just mutely nodded his head without so much as an expression on his face. Joey plunged ahead with his questions, he needed to know, no he had to find out. "You do care, right?" Joey's voice was just about lost to the wind and light rain. He already felt humiliated so it wouldn't hurt in humiliating himself further in front of the other. "About me." Joey at this point didn't care what Seto was, he was in love with him and nothing would change his mind, but for Seto himself and his cruel and heartless ways.

Seto's eyes just widened a fraction then narrowed further and said. "You think just because I slept with you that I would have feelings for you, Joey, I'm not some fairytale lover that's going to save you from your pathetic life." Sounding cold, angry and insulted all at once.

Joey unable to control himself slapped Kaiba hard across the cheek, the sound echoed throughout the park sending birds in a noisy flurry of panic into the night. Seto took a step back holding his cheek, not from the pain it might have brought… but from the shock. He had never been slapped by anyone before and let alone a human. "You have to understand, there is nothing between us!" He snapped at the human angrily and fought the urge to hit him back.

"How can you say that?!" Joey yelled taking small steps forward and unknowingly he forced Seto to back up as well as he matched the Demon's backward steps with each of his own forward ones and seethed at the tall Demon.

"Because you have what I need and I'm happy taking it, since that's all you're really good for." Seto shot back, his eyes had narrowed even more.

"Why the hell did you save me then?!" Joey yelled at him.

Kaiba growled displeased with the out come of tonight, he snapped back. "I was saving myself the trouble in finding someone else to replace you, it'd be a bother."

"I'm not your fuck toy!" Joey yelled at him as Seto's back hit a tree trunk and Joey stopped moving forward. "It's over; I never want to see you again." He said lowly that it was almost missed.

Guilt, hurt, just a spark struck through the Demon's chest at the human's words. "Joey listen to me…" Kaiba was silenced again as Joey had slapped him knowing it couldn't hurt something like what Seto was and he wasn't sure if he fully understood, but slapping him took some of his own pain away but it didn't help him to feel better.

"I let you do as you wished with me in bed hoping that you felt just a little something for me." Joey closed his eyes and shook his head trying to gain some order to his thoughts and mind. "You know what, I pity you?" Joey glared at him again. "You deserve it, you with your black cold heart and your arrogant personality, you deserve to be alone and unloved, then just maybe, just maybe you would know what it feels like to really be alone."

Seto gave the human a shove as he stepped away from the tree. "You are alone Joey. You really honestly thought that I could love a slave or the likes of you?" Seto snorted. "Please, you were good for the sex and that was it." Seto bent his head down a little to look Joey right in the eye and growled out. "Once this week is over, I'll be gone and you'll never see me again." Kaiba sounded more exasperated then anything. Joey couldn't hold back the tears that burned his eyes and started to fall. Why did everyone abandon him once they got what they wanted? Was it because he was just not good enough as a person or was he being punished for something he didn't know about?

Joey wiped at his cheeks and eyes furiously, but he knew that Seto had seen his tears, and he didn't care. "Its only going to be one way, isn't it?" It wasn't aimed at Kaiba but something he just mumbled out. He wasn't stupid he wasn't going to be pleading and begging at Kaiba's feet for something that he knew that he wasn't going to get.

"I have no idea where you got the delusion that I would… love someone like you." Just Seto's cold and hurtful words alone made Joey stumble backwards a few feet.

Joey shook his head. "You didn't have to be cruel, Kaiba." And for the first time he could see clearly that Seto was the cold and heartless bastard before him.

Joey turned around and walked away without another word but after a few feet he ran off into the shadows of the night. Seto watched him run from him and for the first time since their little fight a flash of sadness passed over his face and through his eyes… and it was all because of _him_… that he Seto Kaiba had to push Joey away and possibly the only chance at real happiness. Seto growled out and wiped away the small tear that rolled down his own cheek. "Damn you Yami." Seto turned and leapt into the night sky and went after the Vampire, he needed to vent out his anger.

**

* * *

**

Bakura wandered down the stairs of the mansion later that night, Marik still hadn't come home and it was unusual for him to be gone so long. Bakura hadn't been worried at first, but when he returned this morning after dropping Ryou off at school, Marik still wasn't home. Bakura was now just plain worried if the tanned Demon was okay.

He walked into the kitchen and went to turn the lights on but stopped as a numbing, sickening sensation filled his chest at the smell of fresh blood. Flicking the lights on he looked about the kitchen for the source of the smell, everything was tidy and clean… but there on the counter next to the fridge was a plate with a sterling silver platter cover with a bit of paper attached.

How odd, Bakura thought as he approached it, he knew that Yami never entertained and Seto had no friends, so what was it out for? Bakura narrowed his eyes as the smell of blood was now coming strongly from the covered plate. He snatched up the bit of paper and looked over the words that were hand written in perfect cursive writing that was addressed to Malik.

_Dear Malik._

_Are you missing someone? _

_Because I know that someone is missing pieces. _

_Can you guess whom?_

_Love Ishizu._

Bakura dropped the note onto the counter, he really didn't want to take off the lid, but he had too, he had to know. His heart jumped into his throat as his hand shook. He pulled off the silver cover and instantly dropped it to the ground; it clanged and rolled about for a few seconds. Bakura stumbled backwards with wide eyes and shook his head in disbelief. There on the plate sat a pair of deep dark lavender eyeballs with the nerve endings still attached and one gold earring sat there as well. "Marik." Bakura mumbled as tears filled his eyes.

Had she really ripped out Marik's eyes? Bakura clutched his fists tightly at his side as the tears had now turned into ones of rage. Ishizu would pay for this with her own life. Bakura gathered everything up and threw it into the trash, save Marik's gold earring. The eyes were no good anymore and it wasn't like they could be put back in. _That bitch was going to die._

"Hey Bakura, I'm thinking on taking the motorbike and looking for…" Malik paused as he stopped in the doorway; he swore that Bakura was just in here. Malik sighed as he turned off the lights and headed back for the living room, wondering where Bakura had gotten off too. Malik stopped and walked back into the room as he got the smell of fresh blood.

**

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TBC**

Well leave me your thoughts and you'll get the next chap sooner then what this one took for me to post up… anyway** R&R **me (love and cookies)


	24. Chapter 24

Hey, another update… you know I can never find anything to say up here before the chap, is it pointless because no one reads it? I could be wrong… if so I say, enjoy my chap.

**Warnings:** … and Disclaimer are as followed in the first and other chaps… I own nothing! Sigh.

**Chap 24. **

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Malik stopped by the bin as the smell of blood was coming from inside it. He wrinkled his nose up, there was no way he was going to look through the trash to find some kind of meat that Bakura, Marik, Yami or Seto didn't cook right or half eaten and thrown away to smell up the kitchen. Malik wished if they did something like that they should take out the trash. They all knew how old or fresh blood irritated him. Malik turned and walked away heading for the living room he was staying up until Marik and Bakura returned home.

Malik slumped down on the couch and picked up the remote and settled in to watch a movie, knowing no one was going to be home soon and it drowned out any noises the house made when no one was around.

After the second movie Malik turned everything off and headed up stairs to his bedroom. He paused at the door and stared into the dark room at the made bed, it looked far to cold and only for him to get in. He shifted on his feet and turned walking down to Bakura's room hoping to find his bed more appealing for sleep and well Ryou never had any trouble sleep there on his own. Malik paused once again at the doorway just staring at the bed it was the same, made, unused, cold and lonely. He couldn't bring himself to crawl into any of them at all for he had never slept alone before not since Marik had turned him so many years go and he never liked being alone for to long… spoilt? Maybe, but he could blame Bakura, Ryou and Marik for that, for they had indeed spoilt him making it hard when times like this came up.

Malik turned and headed back downstairs to the phone that sat in the living room on a small table. Dialing a number he waited as it rang out, but the time caught his eyes, it was late but it didn't detour him from making this call, for he had to sleep too.

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Bakura snarled and roared in his furiousness and frustration. He had roughed up every known flunky that had worked for Ishizu at one point in their lives to find out what they knew about Marik. To their horror and a lot of begging Bakura still killed them afterwards, weather or not they had the information he wanted. Oh Ishizu would come after him for this in the worst possible way imaginable. Bakura didn't care he wanted Marik back and his hope in finding his lover was growing dim quickly and a blind Demon would not fair well to this cities nightly creatures. "Please, I know nothing!" Pleaded said flunky, Bakura's eyes flashed crimson and he bared his fangs in a snarl.

The temperature dropped another few degrees making it colder, black shadows moved in the corners of the poorly kept warehouse room. This place was known by everyone as one of the many Witches Covens, that there placed through out the world. Bakura on his way up here had killed just about every Witch and Warlock, a few he had drowned in the river outside, by tying them up with weights and kicking them in. "Where is Marik? Ishizu cut out his eyes. Where is he?!" The dark room filled with a pained scream as Bakura dragged his dagger across the inside of the man's thigh next would be his manhood if he didn't up with what he wanted to know.

"I wasn't there." He tried to pull his arms free as they were suspended tightly above his head by some wire; his bare feet just touched the wooden flooring by the balls of his feet. He panted for air as a sharp pain pulsed through his body; due to all the cuts he had already, complements of the pale Demon. Bakura had come in like a storm, furious and merciless and covered in blood of his fellow Casters, leaving many including himself unable to defend themselves against the angry Demon. He had cut down so many in just a few minutes, by the end of the night many more would die.

"You're, ALWAYS! With her, Shadi!" Bakura punched him hard across the jaw and he swore that he had broken the bone at the sound and the scream that followed; after all he was still human… on the inside. Bakura smirked in satisfaction as Shadi just kinda swung off the wires as his feet no longer supported him. Shadi was her precious partner he knew all that she did, so there for he would know where Marik's whereabouts would be. "Was he left alive or did she kill him?" Bakura hit him again this time just below his ribs, hearing them snap and another cry of pain. "I want him either way, dead or alive." Bakura's face grew darker if that was possible in his already enraged state. He didn't think that he could go through his life never knowing. Bakura needed to find Marik no matter what the out come would be. "You know, I have always wanted to find out if someone could die from a thousand cuts." Bakura glared at him his lips pressed in a thin line. "The cuts are small almost like paper cuts." The pale Demon pulled out his thinnest blade he had from his boot; he used it to picklocks at times. He and made four slashes across Shadi's right arm. "Lets kill my curiosity shall we?" Bakura stopped as Shadi started to laugh, blood dribbled from his mouth and down his chest.

Shadi knew he was going to die it was just a matter of when the Demon was done with him. He smirked as he pushed himself up on the balls of his feet and grinned at the Demon before him. "Who knew that Marik could moan like a whore? No wonder, you want him back so badly." He laughed again as Bakura's whole body trembled to contain his rage, for killing him now Bakura would never find out. All kinds of thoughts flooded his mind on what she had put Marik through, was now starting to get to him. "He wasn't as good as your little human though. Did Ishizu tell you how your little bitch begged for more as he was handed about her men to have at his body as they pleased before she brought him to you to watch as she killed him?" He spat out a mouth full of blood onto Bakura's already not so clean shirt and face. He laughed again. "Your little bitch begged to be killed he couldn't face you again after all that." Bakura growled as he advanced on him and smacked him about for a few minutes, breaking a few more bones, his ribs mostly and a leg.

Bakura landed one last punch to his side. "I'm going to enjoy torturing you." The pale Demon whispered darkly. "I'll get what I want out of you… I always get what I want no matter how strong you think you are… you will break." Bakura raised an eyebrow and all that showed in his crimson depths was… nothing. He was void of all self-control along with his reasoning. Shadi paled and shook his head as he began to sweat in cold fear for he had never seen such a look on someone's face before. He had realized right then that he had pushed the Demon too far. "You waste your time." He panted a little. "Your Marik is dead, she made sure of it."

Bakura felt all his insides go cold and he was numb all over, he didn't notice the tears that filled his eyes and fell. "Marik." He mumbled to himself he turned his tear filled eyes on Shadi as his rage flared up with in him. Suddenly the door flew open as three others rushed into the room to save one of their leaders. Bakura gave a savage war cry as he rushed them. They too would die and if Bakura had to he'd rip apart the city until he found Ishizu and Marik's body.

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The phone rang out in the quiet dark house and Ryou rolled over onto his side and tired to go back to sleep once the ringing had stopped. A few minutes later his bedroom door opened. "Ryou." Came Grandpa's annoyed and still sleepy voice as he entered the room and stopped by the bed. "Ryou, it's for you."

Ryou rolled over, too tired to sit up. "What?" He mumbled not quite understanding on who would be calling for him at this hour of the night.

"It's Malik, he said it's an emergency and he needs to speak with you right away." The old man held out the phone.

Ryou sat up taking the phone that was held out to him and answered it immediately. "Hello Malik, what's wrong?"

'_I'm sorry to wake you at such an hour.' _Ryou frowned as his grip tightened on the phone; he wondered what had happened for Malik to be calling at such an hour. His thoughts turned on Bakura and if something had happened to him, but he wasn't sure what. As he still didn't know the full details of a Demon's life or what kind of problems they faced every day.

"It's fine Malik, what happened? Are you okay?" Ryou bit his lip and waited for Malik to tell him, his heart already beating hard in his anxious state.

'_Well, Marik's gone and I can't help but worry about him, but now Bakura's gone and I was wondering if.' _What Malik said next sounded so small all most like he was a child. '_If I could come over and sleep with you?' _Ryou raised an eyebrow not sure what to think, for a Demon asking a human such as himself for company? Ryou also thought it to be endearing that Malik would ask of such a thing and he smiled softly to himself. _'It's just that I don't like being here on my own… and the house is making wired sounds and...' _

"It's fine Malik." Ryou cut in over him, relieved that everything was okay. "Come over I'll wait for you." Ryou said as he got up to his feet and stretched his muscles out and yawned.

'_Really? Thank you Ryou, I'll be there soon.'_ Ryou held in his laugh as Malik sounded excited about coming over and hung up with another apology for waking him up. He stopped at seeing the not so pleased look of the old man's face standing in front of him and blocking the door.

"Malik's coming over… he, umm, locked himself out of his house and has no where to go." Oh how Ryou hated to lie and the look that Grandpa had, told him that Malik wouldn't be welcome to stay and if that happened Ryou would just go to Malik's house instead.

"Alright this will be the only and last time." The old man huffed out he didn't like the boy to begin with, but he wasn't about to let him sleep in the streets either. "I'll get the couch ready for him then." He turned to leave but Ryou stopped him.

"I'll fix the couch for him, Grandpa. You go back to bed." Ryou said walking out of the room.

"Alright then." Ryou watched him walk into the room at the end of the hallway and close the bedroom door. Ryou headed downstairs not to make the couch up for Malik, as he knew that he wouldn't sleep there anyway.

Ryou walked into the kitchen, putting on the lights and glanced at the clock that read 2: 45 am. He shook his head as he got himself a glass of water. Ryou drank some of it down but stopped at hearing something scrap against the wall of the house, and then trashcans clanged together. Ryou placed the glass down onto the counter and looked up he gasped and took a step backwards as he saw a dark figure walked by the kitchen window. It couldn't be Malik already, could it?

To Ryou's shock the back door handle started to turn and the door was opening. The back door was left open and before he could move or think of something to do to and stop who ever it was from getting into the house. The figure fell in through the door landing hard on the floor covered in blood and half naked. "Marik?!" Ryou yelped out in surprise to see the other.

The Demon rolled over onto his back and scuffled more into the room and with his foot he closed the door. "Turn the lights out, hurry?" Marik hissed out his order he wasn't sure if they were on but he could smell the human in the room. Ryou rushed over to the wall near the door that led to the hallway and turned off the lights.

Ryou stood there with his back against the wall for a few minutes wondering what the hell was going on. _"He went this way!"_ Came a voice just outside the door, Ryou even thought he was momentarily frozen against the wall because of the voices. He realized that the door was still unlocked. Not sure what was going on, he just rushed over going to his hands and knees by Marik and reached up and snapped the lock into place. He jumped back holding in his gasp as the handle jiggled and the door rattled hard. Ryou's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the door with wide eyes, it looked as though the hinges would give out and the door would come down on them.

"_He has to be around here somewhere!"_ Ryou jumped as the voice was just behind that door. He almost gave a startled yelp as a hand grabbed his and he looked down in the dark to where Marik still lay on the floor next to him.

"Shh." Marik hissed at Ryou then added in a whisper. "Not a sound, they're not human." Ryou turned his eyes back to the door and he gripped Marik's hand tightly, everything was hypersensitive from his hearing to his eyesight, trying to locate where the strangers were outside the house as they moved about looking for the Demon that escaped them. Ryou's heart pounded so hard in his chest that he could hear it and was sure that Marik could too; he hoped the ones outside couldn't. Not human? Are they Demons as well? And were they responsible for Marik's injuries?

"_Over here! A blood trail is going into the next yard!" _Ryou snapped his eyes towards the kitchen window seeing four figures rush by it, they were leaving.

They sat there for a good few minutes in the dark just listening if they had really gone, before Marik spoke up after a good ten minutes. "The bastards chased me for five blocks… I'm sorry to barge in like this." Ryou turned on his rear end to face the other and he could see Marik a little better now that his eyes had adjusted to the dark.

"What happened to you?" Marik had yet to let go of his hand and Ryou could feel him tremble.

"Ishizu happened." Marik grunted and hissed in pain as he sat up, pulling his other hand away from his side and held it up for a second rubbing his fingers together and placed it back on his ribs.

"Malik's sister?" Ryou didn't understand she seemed nice enough when he had met her the other day. "Forget about that for now." Ryou shook his head as he remembered what Marik looked like before he turned out the lights. "Let's get a look at you." Ryou stood up and helped Marik to his feet, the tanned Demon struggled to stand and had to lean on Ryou for support, which made the human strain under the Demon's almost full weight.

It took time in getting Marik up the stairs; he stumbled quite a bit and had fallen to his hands and knees a few times and he had almost walked into the wall and the small table in the hallway. Ryou passed it off as Marik being injured. They had reached the bathroom. Ryou was glad that no one had woken up. Not that Yugi would have considering that he was such a heavy sleeper anyway. Ryou flicked on the lights and closed the door after them and helping Marik to sit on the closed toilet seat.

Marik had his head down and his hair fell like a curtain hiding his face well, but for the deep cut running from his cheekbone to almost the corner of his mouth and a big bruise on the other side. Ryou stepped back to get a better look at him. He was shirtless and clutched the lift side of his ribs just under his arm and blood seeped through his fingers and ran down to his waistband of his pants.

More cuts lined his chest and his flat well-toned stomach, but it was his legs that held more open wounds. His dark blue jeans were torn up one side of his hip and down both legs, dark patches of blood stained them. "All I have is first aid." Ryou bit his lip as he walked over to the sink and grabbed a few hand clothes and the first aid kit. He knew that it wasn't going to help and Marik needed proper medical treatment.

A loud thud came and Ryou glanced over to find Marik had collapsed onto the floor. "Marik?!" Ryou rushed over and knelt down beside him. "Marik?" Ryou rolled him onto his back. He moved to drag Marik to his bedroom to rest better in his bed rather then on the hard floor.

Ryou stopped as Marik was just to heavy to move, he snapped his head to the door as there came a noise from downstairs, had they found Marik and came back for him? Ryou glanced down at the unconscious Demon. With Marik like this he couldn't defend himself against them and what else did they want from him? Hadn't they done enough to him already? Marik wasn't any kind of threat to them. Ryou growled, _bloody cowards_ were his thoughts.

The stairs creaked under someone's weight and floorboards again creaked in the hallway. Ryou stared at the door hoping that if he stayed quiet enough they wouldn't find them and leave the house. Ryou placed a kiss to Marik's cheek and got up grabbing the chair from the corner and braced it under the door handle and lent all his body weight against the door as well for good measure. He bit his lip, as Grandpa and Yugi were unaware of what was going on, would they be attack in their sleep? He hoped not. "Ryou!" Came a hushed call from the hallway. "Ryou!"

He recognized that voice and removed the chair and rushed out into the dark hallway and there in his bedrooms threshold stood the Demon. Ryou just stared at him as tears filled his eyes as the Demon glanced at him. Ryou couldn't help the sob that escaped him as he rushed forward.

Ryou ran to him threw his arms about his neck. "Are you alright?" Malik breathed out, worried about the reaction he had gotten, he welcomed Ryou's embrace happily.

"Thank goodness you're here." Ryou pulled back looking up at him, he just didn't know how to help Marik or have the strength to move him.

"I'm sorry for letting myself in like that." Malik said. "But I saw a group of Vampires leaving your yard." Malik lifted Ryou's chin up and kissed him briefly on the lips. "I couldn't help but worry that they might have gotten in."

Ryou whimpered and pulled back to see as Malik frowned at him as if he had done something wrong to make the human move away. "It's Marik, he's hurt and passed out in the bathroom. I tried to move him but he's to heavy for me." Ryou's voice shook a little.

"Marik's hurt?!" Malik blurted out, he couldn't believe it, he moved Ryou out of his arms and rushed over to the open door and sure enough there was Marik laying flat on his back. "Marik?!" Malik was on his knees looking over all the wounds his Mate had. "Run a bath, Ryou." Malik said, and had to hold back his growl at what they had done to him? Ryou ran the water and placed the plug in.

Malik with a shaky hand brushed all the damp hair from Marik's face, he lent forward and placed his ear to Marik's chest and listened. He let out a breath as he heard the faint heartbeat. "Why didn't you call out to me?" He mumbled as he pulled away. "I would have come." His connection with Marik had developed over the years and he always knew what the other was feeling. He should have known that his mate had been attacked. Why hadn't he known?! Damn it! It wasn't like he was preoccupied with anything important. So whoever had attacked Marik had block their small connection? Malik growled, how dare they do such a thing. Malik's crimson eyes scanned over Marik's face and wounded body; a smell of perfume got his attention. "Ishizu." He growled, she'd pay for this, he'd make sure personally.

Malik stripped what clothing Marik had on, which were just his torn up jeans and discarded them on the floor. He removed Marik's only gold earring and placed it into the sink. Malik stood up and kicked off his shoes and took off of his pants and shirt. "Ryou, get his feet." Malik said with a glance at the tub it had enough water to place Marik in it. They lifted Marik up, he may have been strong but Marik weighted a fair bit thanks to his height and wings. Malik eased him down into the warm water and he moved himself about and was straddling his mate's hips, making sure Marik's head didn't go under the water. "Do you have anything for him to wear?" Malik grabbed the washcloth and started to wash the open wounds, on Marik's face and body, the water already turning murky about them.

"I might." Ryou said. "But my cloths might be a tight fit." He said as he reached into the cabinet and pulled out a towel. "Dry him off with this." He placed it on the sink and rushed from the bathroom.

"Marik." Malik whispered as he gently wiped the cloth over his cheek washing away the dirt and blood. He lent forward and placed a small kiss to Marik's lips and for the first time tears gathered in his eyes and fell. Malik was glad that all the wounds that Marik were healable and he was alive.

Ryou grabbed the clothes that were to big for him and rushed out of his room and back into the bathroom. He helped Malik get Marik out of the tub and dried off, they both attended to his wounds and stopped most of them from bleeding out. Ryou and Malik struggled to get the clothing on him but once they had, they both had taken Marik into Ryou's bedroom and placed him in the bed and covered him up. "Is he going to be okay?" Ryou asked concerned that he hadn't gained consciousness yet.

"Yeah, when he wakes up I'll go and get Bakura and we'll take him to get healed." Malik crawled in beside his mate and rested his head on his shoulder. They both knew Marik wasn't asleep he was just unconscious. Malik wiped away a few tears that had fallen and held his hand out for Ryou. "Come and sleep." He sat up a little, knowing the human was tired even though he tried not to show it.

Ryou bit his lip he sure could use a little confronting right now and he knew he would feel so much better once Bakura came. Ryou climbed in on the other side of Marik careful of his wounds and snuggled up to him.

"Where is Bakura?" Ryou's eyes half lidded and tired as he now lay in the warm bed and stared at Malik from across Marik's bare chest in the dark.

"Don't know he left the house in such a hurry." Malik gently kneaded a part of his mate's chest that was under his hand. This wasn't the first time that Marik had come back injured; it was still shocking and unnerving leaving Malik upset for days after his mate had been healed. Malik wanted to make sure that Marik was okay before he went hunting for his Sister, she wasn't going to walk away this time. Marik also had a lot of answering to do when he woke up.

"I'm sorry you came over to find Marik like this." Ryou mumbled fighting to keep his eyes open.

"I'm glad he was here." Malik smiled as he took Ryou's hand and kissed his fingers knowing the human would be blushing but unable to see it. "I couldn't have asked for Marik to have been in more capable hands." Malik watched as Ryou nodded off, he didn't expect the human to stay up all night. He himself would get a few hours sleep and go and get Bakura.

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The line of seven warehouses exploded into flames sending wood, glass and metals flying in all directions. Sirens of the fire department, police and ambulance could be heard in the background. A second explosion from a gas line and there was nothing left, but the fire. Bakura flew out of the flames, his wings and clothing slightly singed, smoking and wounded, he headed right for the night sky and turned in toward the city, heading to the next, not so secret Coven of Witches. Yes this city would burn and with it all the human population if need be, until he got what he wanted.

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**TBC**

Don't worry I still have a lot of ground to cover and a few more chaps, okay, a lot more chaps so **R&R** me and I'll update (Love and Cookies)


	25. Chapter 25

**Warnings:** … and Disclaimer are as followed in the first and other chaps… I own nothing! Sigh.

**Chap 25 **

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Malik slowly opened his eyes and the heavy fog of sleep fell away, as fingers caress down the side of his face and down his neck and across his shoulder. When had he fallen into such a heavy sleep? He remembered watching Ryou fall asleep on Marik's chest, then nothing. Malik blinked a few times to gain focus and didn't recognize the room he was in, _where was he?_ "You sleep like the dead, my love." Malik turned his head and came face to face with Marik. _That's right he was in Ryou's house._

"It's you that I should be waking." Malik whispered back with a smile now that he was more awake. He wrapped his arms about Marik and moved closer to him, relieved that his mate was okay, besides the few cuts and an open wound, nothing that couldn't be healed. "You had me so worried about you." Tears filled his eyes as he buried his face into Marik's neck, whenever he saw Marik or even Bakura in such a way it was like someone cutting into his heart and ripping it out from his chest.

"I know I must have last night." Marik held in his wince at being moved the slightest little bit and where Malik had himself pressed against his side was even more painful but he kept his expression hidden so not to worry his mate on just how badly he was hurt. "I'm sorry you saw me in such a way."

"It was that." Malik pulled back a little and wiped at his tears not wanting his mate to see, but he knew Marik had seen him many times in tears over him, Bakura and even Ryou. "But it was also that I didn't know what had happened to you, why didn't you take one of us with you?"

"I wouldn't have wanted you involved." Marik said, he had been out the night before in clearing up some old business with De. Though she hadn't been happy about Marik cutting out of the deal, but he just couldn't endanger Ryou's life again and besides the human was quite happy being with them and knowing what they are. So Marik now had no need to look into getting Ryou's memories back. Malik was about to reply when he got a glance at Marik's eyes for the first time since waking up.

"Why haven't you said your chant?" Malik frowned at the familiar white paleness of his mate's unfocused and unseeing eyes, it happened every few days when the spell wore off, but Marik had always instantly said his chant to gain his eyesight back.

"I have a few times after I got away last night… your Sister..." Marik just stopped talking and fell silent, not wanting to say or think about her anymore. Malik swallowed hard on the lump that was now in his throat at Marik's words. He knew what this meant that she had inflicted all those wounds on Marik herself. Malik gently moved himself again and was now more on top of Marik and pressed his lips to the others with a light purr.

His hands cupped both side of Marik's face as Malik pulled back. "I'll get you to Seto and he'll fix you right up." He promised with another light kiss that quickly turned into a deeper more passionate one, Marik took comfort in having Malik close to him like this.

"Wh…what?" Ryou mumbled his voice soft and slurred from sleep as he lifted his head up and made a grab for the clock on the nightstand, his hand missed it a few times before he was able to turn it towards himself, 9:47am. Malik blushing lightly pulled his lips away from Marik's and glanced at Ryou, who put his head back down and pulled up the covers more, all intentions to go back to sleep.

"Morning Ryou." Malik purred and reached out and ran his fingers down the middle of Ryou's bare back, all they needed now was Bakura and they'd be right for some morning activities.

"Morn'…" Ryou yawned and then yelped as his rear end was squeezed a little. "Malik!" He almost fell out of bed due to cliffhanging, Ryou now wide awake rolled over onto his side knowing who the wondering hand belonged too. Marik moved his arm and wrapped it under Ryou's head and brought him closer. "A little warning first before you grope me." Ryou frowned as Malik pouted; the human lifted his head and turned his eyes onto the older male. "How are you feeling, Marik?"

"Fine considering." Marik mumbled holding his wince in, the pain shot up from his side like fire. Ryou wasn't sure what he meant by that and glanced at Malik, was the Demon still tired? Ryou thought so after what Marik had been through last night, he didn't blame him if the tanned Demon wanted extra time to sleep.

Malik saw the confused look on Ryou's face. "Marik's blind." He said with a heavy sigh and looking up at his mate's face, he wasn't sure on how Ryou would take such news.

"What?" Ryou blurted out lifting his head up more resting on his elbow to get a better look, and sure enough as Marik glanced his way, his eyes were a milky white with a small hint of lavender colouring. "But you could see just fine yesterday and the day before that… did the ones that attacked, do this?" Ryou asked Marik directly, not sure how this would have happened and so fast.

"Yes and no." Marik sighed, if Ryou was going to be with them then he needed to know, hell he had a right to know. The older male heaved a deep sigh. "I've been blind for centuries, it's a spell made by Seto that enables me to see just like you and Malik."

"You know a few weeks ago I would have laughed at you for saying such a thing." Ryou mumbled and Marik smirked as Malik let out a small laugh and rested his cheek on Marik's chest. "Were you born blind?" Ryou asked biting his lip.

"No." Marik shook his head. "It happened when I was a teen and now a small spell has to be said by me every few days to enable me to see." Malik gave a small sigh as he listened to Marik.

"A Demon that's blind or have any other disadvantages similar to this one… are killed." Malik's hold on Marik tightened.

"That's not right." Ryou snapped and found himself angry at such a thing, it sounded so medieval and barbaric, he hadn't meant to snap but with everything that had happened last night he just couldn't help himself, it just wasn't right.

"I know it's not… but if this got out and the wrong person found out." Malik bit his lip. "They would kill him as seeing it as a weakness." Malik ran a hand through his mate's hair. "I don't know how my sister managed to take that spell from you." Malik said then glanced at Ryou.

"But you're serious that your own kind would kill you over this?" Ryou asked with a hint of anger in his voice and a shake of his head, still disbelieving what he was hearing.

Marik pulled Ryou closer with one arm. "Don't sound so angry, I've managed to hide this perfectly fine." Marik let out a purr and whispered all to seductively to the human. "Kiss me." Malik instantly purred at the words and a shiver ran down Ryou's back in anticipation, he had only kissed Marik once before and was more then happy to do it again. He lent up slightly, mindful of the injured Demon's body and pressed his lips to Marik's. With the movement the blanket fell away a little as Marik pulled Ryou more onto him, Malik grinning and happy to see the two engaged in such a way… it had felt like he had waited forever to see the two like this. He moved a little giving Ryou more room and lent forward and started to nibble and lick a path down the human's neck and shoulders.

Ryou moaned softly into Marik's mouth as a hand ran down his back and under his waistband of his boxers and his hips were pressed forward into Marik's. Both Demons purring and knowing that that they couldn't take this to far with Ryou. His body was Bakura's to claim and accidental marking should either Malik or Marik brush and break the skin with their fangs, would still leave Bakura mateless and one of them with an extra mate, and it wasn't something that either of them wanted. Mating season was hard enough with having one mate to satisfy and it always took a good week to recover, add a second one and they'd be recovering for a month.

"… I just thought he might have left and…" The old man was talking before he opened the door and was now standing in the threshold frozen in place and gasping like a fish out of water at the sight before him.

Malik only looked over with his eyes not giving up on his feast of pale flesh, Marik growled as Ryou pulled away from his lips to look at the old man. "What?!" The old man yelled out and became very red faced with anger and mostly embarrassment. "Ryou downstairs, now!" Snapped Grandpa as he backed out even quicker then he had come in and just about slammed the door closed his heavy and hurried footsteps could be heard through out the house.

Malik moved his lips away from Ryou's shoulder making the human shiver again. "Well he's not a morning person." Malik mumbled into his ear and pulled away.

"I should go." Ryou said, hesitating a little he soon pushed himself up and got to his feet.

"Yeah you're right, I need to go and let Bakura know what happened last night." Malik said as he crawled over the top of Marik, who made for a small grope to his mate's rear end on his way to his feet.

"Clothes." Ryou held up a pair of sweatpants he had and t-shirt that was too big for him as Marik was only wearing a pair of boxers that looked to small for him.

"I'll stop by home and get you your clothes before I come back." Malik said getting dressed himself.

Marik got dressed soon after, Malik making sure he had his clothes the right way round before helping him downstairs into the kitchen, a slow and pain walk on Marik's behalf. Grandpa was waiting for Ryou at the table. "I wanted to speak to you alone." The old man said as he eyed the other two.

"Yes I know, but I'm not about to let my guests starve." Ryou said as he moved about the kitchen making coffee, silence fell over the room and that's when a voice spoke up over the radio. _'Half of Domino city's warehouse district on the south and the east side have burnt down last night. Fire department and the police are suspect an arson.'_ Malik glanced at the small black box that was sitting on the counter with a frown. Ryou moved to turn it off as he really didn't want the music Grandpa listened to going on in the background.

"No leave it!" Malik asked as he rushed to the counter and turned it up. _'Forty-five people have been found burnt to death by the fire and some have been pulled out of the river, the body count is climbing by the hour...'_

"Ryou." Malik said as he grabbed onto his hand, this was not good and he knew just who was behind all of this, he got the humans attention. "I really have to go now, don't let Marik out of your sight." Malik warned him, with how Marik was and in a strange place he could very well hurt himself more then what he already was. Ryou gave a small nod of his head to show that he understood what Malik wanted from him.

Ryou let out a small whimper as lips met his in a kiss. Grandpa cleared his throat. Surprisingly Ryou didn't find himself embarrassed or blushing when kissing the Demon in front of the old man. The old man cleared his throat again when the kiss didn't end, he spared a glance at the other who sat across from him and frowned as the other didn't even look up or even notice the two kissing, _was he blind? _Grandpa thought. Malik soon pulled back with a lick of his lips. "Take care of him, Ryou." With that Malik turned on his heels and stopped once more to kiss Marik on the lips then left the house. Grandpa was left red faced and flustered not sure what to think about all this.

Ryou fixed up the coffee and walked over handing it to Marik, who seemed to have his head down the whole time, Ryou knew he was listening to everything that went on around him. "Coffee." Ryou spoke up and helped Marik grasp onto the cup.

"Thanks." Marik said placing the cup onto the table and added. "You don't need to wait on me."

"It's okay really." He sat down next to the Demon and Ryou found himself looking at Marik, not staring, but just looking, taking in his tanned skin and wild hair and those lips and the way the Demon had half ravaged him in the kitchen, Ryou's heart skipped a beat and his cheeks heated up on the thoughts of wanting to feel it all again. Hell Ryou wanted to lean forward and kiss him.

"Ryou I want a word with you in private." The voice snapped Ryou out of his thoughts that didn't sound so good? "Now!"

Marik glared in the direction of the old mans voice for the way he was talking to Ryou, there was no way Marik was going to let Ryou face the old man on his own.

**

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**

High in the sky where Malik flew was covered in thick black smoke. _'Just follow the chaos and you'll find Bakura.' _Malik watched the city as the smoke gave way to the wind and the ocean came into view along with the warehouses. Spotting a place above the ground and still out of view, Malik landed soundlessly his wings vanished into his back as he walked to the edge of the building.

Malik watched for any signs an explosion or a scream, anything that would tell him where Bakura was. Malik had only wished that Bakura wouldn't always run off like this, and he dreaded that the consequences would be grave, as Bakura had never attacked a human city before. Malik frowned as he watched the area, smoke rose before him and red cinders floated about in the air, but still no Bakura. Seeing nothing but smoldering bits of buildings and groups of humans running about with hoses trying to put the fire out.

Malik knew that Bakura wasn't here if it was full of humans, he spread out his wings and took flight once again and headed to the other side of the docks and sure enough a warehouse burst into flames.

Ishizu literary flew through the wall breaking bits of wood and glass that were already weakened by the flames, Bakura instantly followed with an enraged snarl. "You fucking bastard!" She spat at him, wiping away the blood from her lips from a well-aimed hit before hand.

"The Witch has a potty mouth." Bakura was anything but amused, well except her suffering and he guaranteed there was going to be a lot more to come. "You knew this day was coming, don't be so surprised."

"You have killed most of all my Coven, why?" Bakura narrowed his eyes at her as she scuffled backwards on her back, arms and feet to keep her distance from him. He had attacked while she had been sleeping and was unprepared for the attack, something that would never happen again.

Bakura had never been more satisfied by the sear panic in her eyes and the way the colour drained from her face, it was the same look everyone had before he killed them, as powerful as she was, Ishizu was no exception. "Don't play coy with me, Witch." Bakura snagged her by the front of her light nightgown, tearing it as he did and pulled her forward towards him, a black energy ball had gathered into Bakura's out stretched right hand and being this close and hit by such a thing, she would die slowly without the ability of being healed by anyone. "I know what you did, your so called Coven sung like birds." Bakura pulled her closer and growled out baring his fangs, but her wide blue eyes were on the energy ball.

She had to save herself; to die now before she had a chance to accomplish what she really wanted would have been a waste of her life. Ishizu's lips moved as she mumbled out a chant, with one swift motion Bakura backhanded her with his left hand and snagged her again by the nightgown, pulling her forward. "What did you do with Marik?" Ishizu whimpered out placing a hand to her cheek. The Demon wouldn't be merciful to her now and she saw her own death within his crimson eyes, it unnerved her and a chill ran through her body, thoughts of Malik never standing by her side as her beloved little brother and the fact that she wouldn't gain the allotment power, giving up now would save a lot of heartbreak and hard work.

No! She now became angry with herself for such thoughts, she would have Malik and power and no way was she going to die at the hands of this filthy Demon and one of her brother's rapists. A new spark of will flashed through her eyes and a determined look sat in. "I placed him where you can never reach him dead or alive, you'll never seen him again." Her words had hit Bakura like ice and he found the pain that came with the thought of never seeing Marik again was too much to bare. He couldn't take it, the thought of it; never seeing Marik again. There would be nothing he could do to her that would satisfy his pain. He'll still kill her in the most painful of ways just to show her a small portion of what he now felt. Bakura advanced on Ishizu and hadn't seen the Vampires that worked for her charge him. "DIE!" Bakura seethed but was suddenly knocked off balance and to the ground; his energy ball had disappeared from his hand.

Malik speed up to land and help Bakura out, the pale Demon was on his feet and charged at them again, but with a burst of dark magic the group was gone along with the Witch. Bakura slid to a stop and fell to his knees with a furious scream. "NOOOO!" He hit the wooden flooring of the dock with his fists; the consent growling that came from him as he glanced up his eyes flashed again an even brighter crimson and were already filled with unshed tears as he screamed again.

"Bakura?!" Malik rushed to him but stayed a few feet back he had only ever seen Bakura like this before and that was when he had lost Ryou.

The pale Demon rose, he'd turn all his attention in hunting all Vampires that would aid and know where the Witch was hiding. Fuck! He would kill the whole damn human realm and even his own Demonic one, just to find Marik and that Witch. "Go home Malik." He snapped it was best that the smaller stayed out of it. "Take Ryou with you and watch him." He didn't want to lose another one of his lovers or his own mate to be.

"No." Malik rushed up to him not understanding what had set him off like this. "You can't! You must stop now." Malik gripped Bakura's upper arms in both his hands. "You'll already be punished for what you have done so far."

"I don't care!" Bakura shoved him away, Malik gasped out in surprise as he stumbled backwards a little bit from the force, but was still on his feet.

"No, I won't let you continue this madness!" Malik grabbed him again by his arm. "Don't make me force you to stop!" He pleaded with his lover.

"Stay out of this!" Bakura again snapped at him and ripped his arm out of Malik's grip.

"Why are you doing this?" Malik really didn't want to use his powers against the Demon he loved; he just couldn't it was too dangerous; Bakura ignored him and started walking away.

"Just take Ryou and go home." Bakura said again over his shoulder.

Malik shut his eyes lightly and his wings spread out from his back with an impressive _whoosh _and paused at full length, he opened his eyes to only narrow them. "So help me Bakura I will use force to stop you." Malik shouted at him, his energy pulsing about him making the wooden flooring of the docks tremble under their feet and already he could feel himself wanting more of the power he so rarely used. The buildings about them started to shake and crumble a little. Malik clutched fists so hard that his nails cut into his skin making them bleed slightly. _I can keep control, mustn't lose control, I'll never go back… _images of being ripped away from Marik and locked away only to be half tortured to death, being starved and kept in a room that was to small to move about in and the darkness with no end… all in the name of teaching him a lesson that there was no place in any realm for the insane… he wasn't insane he was just over…

Sparks of electricity cut in across Bakura's path and blowing out a lamppost to his right, the pale Demon lifted his arms up to shield himself and the windows from the building to his left blew out at him covering him in glass, Bakura's own shield of dark shadows was instantly up as a defensive move. _Shit!_

Malik pushed away his thoughts and now more panicked then ever that he wouldn't be able to pull back his powers and knowing he couldn't hold on much longer, shouted out. "Please Bakura I'm begging you!" Tears ran down Malik's cheeks as he tried to keep his powers in check, but he was slipping fast he wanted to give into them.

Arms wrapped about him and he was pulled into a tight embrace. "I'm here Malik, I'll stop." Bakura murmured to him kneading his back with both hands, Malik let out a small sob and wrapped his arms about Bakura, and everything stopped shaking from the flooring to the buildings near by and his powers once again went into a dormant state.

**

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**

Ryou sighed as he closed the bathroom door, Marik wanted to shower again, why he didn't know as the Demon said he wanted to be alone for a bit. Ryou bit his lip and hoped Marik was okay. He walked back into the kitchen the old man and himself had already talked, Ryou knew the old man was holding back because of Marik being in the room, the Demon had growled in warning when the old man raised his voice or got to angry at his human. "I've been thinking that I'll…"

"Two Ryou?!" Grandpa glanced up at him cutting off anything Ryou was going to say. "Boy, I'm worried that you may have gotten yourself dragged into something that you might not be able to back out of." Grandpa stood up as Ryou stopped just in the doorway of the kitchen, he was keeping an ear out for Marik should he be needed by the Demon.

"I didn't get dragged into anything." Ryou become slightly flustered himself.

"But two boyfriends, Ryou?" The old man huffed crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at the boy; everyone who knew the old man knew that he was never one of same sex relationships.

"Actually." Ryou started he blushed slightly. "I have three."

"THREE?!" The old man yelled out ragged, it was clear that there was something wrong with the boy who seemed to need three boyfriends instead of just one. "I think I should call a Doctor." The old man started to pace in front of the teen deep in thought.

"I'm not sick!" Ryou growled out. "I'm happy." He lent his back against the doorframe heavily; looking down at his feet his cheeks flushed a deeper red and whispered so softly that the old man almost missed it. "I love them." Ryou glanced at the old man a small smile on his lips as he thought on each of them.

"Have I met this third one yet?" Paused the old man; he met the grabby one that was practically rapping Ryou in the hallway just the other morning, Malik. And the other one that was using his bathroom he had been quiet and grumpy, Marik.

"I don't think so." Ryou bit his lip and truly he couldn't recall. "I'll find other means of living away from here and home…" Ryou bowed his head biting his lip, sure if this was a good idea to speak of. "They offered me to live with them… I think I might." The _what if_ hit Ryou so often when thinking about them, such things like, what if they used him and kicked him out? Where would he go then? He didn't really know them that well or what Demons are really capable of doing? Or what their true nature really is like and Bakura spoke of becoming his mate, was it his whole life or the Demons he was mated too?

Suddenly the front door burst out with a bang, the teen and the old man jumped startled. "Marik?!" Bakura called out as he rushed inside with Malik behind him, who was still looking confused. Ryou stepped into the doorway and answered him right away, holding in his gasp of seeing the pale Demon covered in blood, soot and his clothing torn up and his hair was more messed up then normal.

"Upstairs." Bakura was already climbing them as soon as the words left Ryou's mouth. "End of the hallway in the bathroom!" Ryou called out as he ran after the pale Demon.

"Marik?!" Bakura opened the door with such force that it almost bounced back and hit him; Ryou stopped it and turned his wide eyes to the shower, as a sound of a sniffle came as faint as it was Bakura heard it. "Marik?" The pale Demon pushed aside the shower curtain; to find the tanned Demon standing there with the hot water ran over him, he was resting against his own arms as they were braced against the tiled wall his head down.

Bakura hurriedly stepped in and Marik turned around was embraced and kissed soundly on the lips, as he was pulled closer to the pale Demon's body. Relief flooded through Bakura for the first time in hours. Malik stopped into the doorway next to Ryou. Bakura cupped both sides of Marik's face and moved in a littler closer, he was now soaking wet. "Look at me." Bakura asked his voice soft but was strained with worry.

"And what would I see?" Marik asked as Bakura wiped the hair from Marik's eyes and smiled at seeing the milky white eyes, he had never been happier to see them. Bakura just kissed him again, but he hissed in pain as Marik ran his hand up Bakura's side feeling his way to place his hands on the others chest. "Easy, I'm injured too." Bakura placed a line of kisses up Marik's neck to his lips.

"Bakura." Marik rested his head on the others shoulder. "I was… she had her…" Marik pulled away from the Demon but he was pulled right back, Marik had been hiding most of his pain from Malik and Ryou all morning, there wasn't a place on his body that Ishizu hadn't violated in some way or another and he ached all over the hot water from the shower helped.

"Shhh, you don't have to tell me, now… but when you're ready." Marik nodded his head thankful not to speak out loud of what Ishizu had done to him and have Malik hear it and Ryou.

"Come on Malik." Ryou started to close the door having the feeling they wanted to be alone. "Give them some time." Malik started to protest.

"But I want to know what my sister did and why Bakura needed to burn down half the city." Ryou kissed him as the door clicked closed.

"You will." Ryou took his hand, there was no doubt in his mind that Bakura and Marik would tell them what had happened last night when they were ready. "But for now, I'll make you something to drink and eat." Malik sighed as he let himself be lead down the hallway by the human.

**

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**

**TBC**

Okay, there you have it another chap I was hoping to have something posted up before Christmas, but I had been so busy with everything and just didn't have the time, but soon I should be back on track with my weekly updating. (Love and Cookies) and don't forget to **R&R**.


	26. Chapter 26

I'm finding it hard to get back into the swing of writing again; I'm hoping it'll pass soon, so from me to you, enjoy the chapter.

**Warnings:** … and Disclaimer are as followed in the first and other chaps… I own nothing! Sigh.

**Chap 26**

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Joey went from bookshelf to bookshelf in the library of the school, his class was a free one and most of everyone was studying quietly at the tables. This studying was never one of Joey's most strong points, he always had Yugi and Ryou to help him out, but today he was looking for answers to question that took up permanent residents in his head that he needed to solve on his own, because Ryou and Yugi wouldn't understand. He saw the few strange looks he was getting from a few of his classmates as he hit history section, part of the library, that Joey had never seen or entered for that matter. He eyed all the spines of the books closely reading each one and running his fingers over the writing so not to miss anything. He pulled out a few books that had the title with Demon's in them. He stood there for a few minutes flipping through the pages and then walked back to where he was sitting; other books lay about the table, a few of them lay open a lot of them where on body markings to fiction stories. Nothing helped him in what he wanted to know, except a few short fiction stories. "Hey Joey!" Yugi rushed up to him and hugged him, happy to see his friend out and about.

"SHHHH!" Hissed a few of the students frowning in disapproval.

"Sorry." Yugi whispered back with a wave of his hand and gave them a big grin and turned back to his friend with a worried look. "Where have you been? I was so worried about you."

"Sick." Joey mumbled his attention was still on the pages in front of him, Yugi frowned even more as he lent forward a little on the table to see what he was reading.

"I did call around to see you." Yugi said and then sat down as if Joey had given him the invitation to join him. "So did you go and see a doctor?"

"No." Joey mumbled, flipping another page.

"What did you have? The flu, a cold?" Yugi asked his hands in his lap as he was still leaning forward over the table a little and his voice came in hushed whispered so not to get into trouble again.

"I don't know." Joey didn't want to tell him that he didn't have the energy to leave the house because he had mistakenly slept with a Demon, who was nothing short of a savage ravenous beast when it came to sex.

"You should have gone to the doctors and maybe you would have been back at school a lot sooner." Yugi said plucking a book up and opening it up as a teacher walked by them with a tilt of her glasses at them.

"I didn't need to." Damn it! Why could he not get that bastard out of his head? All Joey could think of was _him _and what had been said the other night all the cruel and hurtful things, no he would not care and he wished he could stop feeling the way he did, it was as if his body was craving just one touch from the Demon.

"But Joey if you're sick you really should go to a doctor and get looked at." All of Yugi's questions were really getting to him, hell even his voice was getting on Joey's nerves.

Joey sighed irritably as he turned the page over and his eyes scanned over it and something got his attention as his eyes widened, "ITCAN'T BE TRUE!" Joey stood up and in doing so his chair cluttered to the floor, Yugi gave a startled gasp and sat back in his chair looking wide eyed at his friend, _had I done something wrong? _Yugi thought.

"Joey?" Yugi said unsurely.

"I have to go!" Joey snatched up his backpack and the book he had been reading and rushed from the library.

"You have to check out that book first!" Called the librarian, but the doors were already closing and Joey was gone.

**

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**

Seto tiredly pulled himself from his bed and pulled on some long pants and headed downstairs to the kitchen. He didn't notice or care that the house was so quiet for this time of morning. Normally Malik would be rushing about in a flurry to get ready to see Ryou at school and have Bakura and Marik following him out the door. Yami would be getting ready himself to go and spend time with Yugi. Everyone in this rat's nest had someone or was getting with someone but him and it pissed him off to no end.

Damn he was so tired! It took him twenty minutes to get his coffee right, he was now in Recovery from his Mating Season and he would be like this for a good week, having a mate eased the process and made the Recovery faster. "Seto, there you are." Yami burst into the kitchen looking rather angry.

"I'm not here." Seto mumbled as he was trying to ignore the other and taking big mouthfuls of his two teaspoons of coffee and six teaspoons of sugar and a little bit of hope that it would give him the _pick-me-up_ he needed.

"This is a catastrophe." Yami growled out waving a rolled up newspaper about in his hand.

"Obviously not much of one if you're still here." The Healer mumbled into his mug and narrowed eyes looking at Yami from over the rim.

"Half the city has been burnt down." Yami huffed. "I know that Bakura is somehow behind it, because I looked into it."

"Good so you don't have to bother me then." Seto went about making himself another coffee and something to eat.

"Bakura has killed quite a few Witches." Yami started to pace glancing at Seto every now and then, not noticing the sly comments and the non existing attention from the Healer. "The Council has ordered that Bakura be punished for this." Yami bit on his nails in thought. "Maybe you can pull something off that won't hurt as much." Oh the Demon Lord wanted to see Bakura flogged with a cat-of-nine-tails with a little salt in the mix. That damn Demon caused more trouble for him then anyone else he knew.

"Why are you here again?" Seto asked as he ran a hand over his face.

"Damn it! Seto!" Yami snapped at him. "Pay attention for a few damn minutes!" As soon as Yami had said that all the lights and the glass in the microwave door shattered along with a few cups, the Demon Lord didn't even flinch, but glared at the Healer who was giving him the same look. "Bakura has burnt down half the city and the council wants him punished for it."

"Fine." Seto rolled his eyes. "I'll place that right on the top of my _to-do_ list." Bakura could have burnt down the universe for all he cared; he had his own problems to deal with, but first he needed more sleep.

"The Council is concerned that Bakura may have blown our cover to the humans." The Demon Lord growled out. "Do you see what I have to deal with, since Marik started seeing him?! I have to do a report on it now and insure them that nothing has been compromised. It's going to take me weeks."

"Why don't you form a little committee about it, while I go back to bed." Seto gathered up his plate of toast and his mug of strong coffee and walked out of the kitchen.

"What's wrong with you?!" Yami instantly followed hot on his heels, it wasn't like Seto to be so short and snappy with everyone, okay maybe just a little but this was going overboard.

"I'm in Recovery." He mumbled over his shoulder and added with a snap. "And keep your voice down, I have a headache."

"You went through with your Mating Season already?" The shocked tone in the Demon Lords voice placed a small tinge of a smirk on the coroner of the Healers lips. "You don't have a mate?" Yami hurried up and fell into step at his side, looking up at him with an awe look expression. "Who did you do it with?" Yami knew for sure there was no other Demon's in the city but for them and it intrigued him now on who Seto found worthy enough to sleep with.

"Well it wasn't you." Seto added sarcastically, he wasn't going to give up on the _human _he had slept with every night for the last few nights.

"Are you mated now?" Yami asked, the Healer's scent hadn't changed at all, it was but not much to give him the information or to confirm that Seto had taken a mate.

"You don't have to have a mate to do the Mating Season with."

"Yeah you do." The Demon Lord shot back.

"Yami if you're going to be ignorant and stupid about it, do it else where." Seto walked into his office, placing the plate and mug onto his dark polished desk, he needed to get through a little of his work before he went back to bed. He glanced up at the confused look Yami had and let out a heavy sigh. "Shocked that I didn't come knocking on your door to fix _'my need'_?"

"I was kind of expecting it." A tone Seto couldn't place and it irritated him more and not to mention that Yami was now half mated to someone. "Yeah." Was his soft answer.

"You would." Seto sneered at him a tone and a look of disgust that the Demon Lord would be still chasing after him. "You have someone else to warm your bed and besides I'm through with you, all of you."

Yami opened his mouth to shout and rant at the other on what he had meant, but then closed it as thoughts of his human flooded his head, he softly said. "I guess it's for the best now that I have Yugi." Yami glanced up at him. He really didn't want Yugi to find out that he had someone else on the side and it wasn't like it was love, though he knew that Seto had loved him when they were younger, but he as Demon Lord couldn't have taken it any further then a late night romp and sneak about in the dark with each other.

"Get out!" Seto growled he had had enough of this conversation and Yami himself. The Demon Lord glanced at him, the Healer had become cold towards anything that showed him affection and when Yami had fallen for him just eighty years back, it was to late, what they had was a comfort for getting rid of the heat in their bodies and that was it.

"Seto?" Yami paused in the doorway seeing as the other didn't make a move to look up at him, Yami continued anyway. "For what it's worth, I was glad that I had…"

"Save your sentimental crap for the next sap." Seto went back to his work with a final. "Just get out I'm busy." Yami left closing the door with a soft click.

A while later Seto got up turning everything off, as he was now unable to see the screen as words ran together and his vision slightly blurred. He closed the door behind himself and headed for the kitchen, not taking any notice as the doorbell rang. He placed his plate and mug into the sink and left the room to go back to bed.

He almost reached the stairs when a book came flying at him cutting him off, it landed on the floor and slid to a stop at the other end of the hall. Seto glanced at the front door to rip apart whoever would be brave and stupid enough to do something like that.

"Is it true why I feel this way?!" Joey pushed Yami aside as he walked in, not caring or waiting to be invited in; he walked right up to the taller male huffing in his anger. "And that I can never desire or sleep with any other, but you?" Joey tapped him on the chest.

"What are you talking about?!" Seto glanced at the book that was at the end of the hallway, it laid open and a little torn up.

"The mark you gave me?" Joey hissed out, fighting the urge to press himself up against the other and kiss him until the Demon took him in the hallway or to his bed, yes he was twisted, but he couldn't help it with the Demon being half naked in front of him like that.

Seto twitched visibly at the words. "What mark?" He had been so careful not to break skin on the human while he satisfied his needs, he didn't want a mate, especially not a human one.

"This one." Joey pulled off his jacket and shirt and there was a black mark on his right shoulder. Yami bit his lip and felt it best to give them some privacy and he also didn't want to be in the middle of this argument.

"I didn't do it?!" Seto backed up with a growl; it had been nothing more then a bruise a few days ago. _Oh shit! _Seto paled slightly as he realized that if he had marked the human then it wouldn't have shown up as more then just a bruise, how could he have been so stupid!

"It was there the next morning." Joey said softly holding his jacket and shirt in his hands. "But in that book it said that such a mating is a forever thing." A desperate sad look passed over Joey's face, he knew that the Demon didn't want him and he didn't want to be forced into a relationship especially if it was all one sided.

"It's not." Seto said his eyes lingered over Joey's naked top half and his mind filled with the human's delightful moans, the way Joey had been spread out on the bed, his hair messy and tossed over a pillow and just how willing Joey was just after a few minutes of touching and kissing. "Put your clothes back on." Seto's voice came out a little higher and strained then normal.

"Oh." Joey slipped his shirt back on with a small blush, he hadn't noticed. "So are we stuck together?" There was something in the human's voice that Seto couldn't place and it made his stomach turn over and his heart beat a little faster.

"No, your mark will go in time as long as you keep your distance from me." Joey rung his jacket in his hands as he bit his lip and shifted on his feet nervously. Keep his distance; he couldn't, just the thought of never seeing Seto again hurt too much.

"I don't want it too be gone?" Joey stared down at his feet unable to meet Seto's eyes as he spoke up. "What if I wanted to be with you?" A displeased growl came from the Healer. "I don't want to move in with you or be the full time mate…" Joey had glanced up and stopped himself at seeing the hard look in Seto's eyes.

"I don't want…" The Healer started.

"I know." Joey cut him off and pulled back away from the other a little, feeling now foolish more then ever and he was just asking to be insulted again by the Demon. "I just wanted to know, you know."

"Look, Joey." Seto moved a little closer at seeing the sad look the human had and grabbed Joey by the shoulders gently and pulled him closer, maybe he had been to hard on the human as well, he had remembered his first time with Yami and how cold and cruel it had been, well the Demon Lord hadn't even noticed and yet… Here he was doing the same thing to someone else.

Joey pulled himself away feeling his skin tingling where Seto had placed his hands. "It's okay really, everything was said the other night, you only needed me for a few nights, I'm not really worth it, right?" He turned on his heels and left before the tears that burnt his eyes fell.

Seto flinched inwardly at seeing the hurt and hollow look in the others eyes, he remembered how those eyes shone beautifully when they were together, now Joey just looked tired. He also remembered the words and just how cruel he had been to the human who was just after his affection and maybe love. Seto shook his head the human would get over it soon enough and the last thing he wanted was a human taking up his time.

Seto headed up stairs to get more sleep, all he had to do was wait a good month and everything that he had done would be all in the past, from marking to thoughts.

* * *

"You will." Ryou took his hand, there was no doubt in his mind that Bakura and Marik would tell them what had happened last night when they were ready. "But for now, I'll make you something to drink and eat." Malik sighed as he let himself be lead down the hallway by the human.

"Ryou!" Grandpa now stood in his way with his hands on his hips and an exasperated look on his face. The said teen halted abruptly making Malik walk right into his back, both males stumbled forward a little, Ryou's eyes never leaving the old man's face. "What is this all about?!"

"Well, Bakura was, umm… Bakura he…"

Malik cut in over him seeing as Ryou was falling over his own words. "Bakura has been at work all night and came to pick us up." Ryou looked at him with a look that said the old man would never fall for such a lie; the way Bakura looked when he came into the house, there was no work out there that would have someone looking like that, maybe doing dirty work for a gang or a mob. Malik simply shrugged his shoulders glancing back at the old man.

"But bursting into my house in such away." He huffed; Ryou couldn't help but think that this would be his last day or night here. "Are they pulling you into some kind of trouble?"

"Ryou's not in any trouble and I wouldn't allow such a thing." Malik growled and unconsciously Ryou's grip tightened on his hand.

"I find it hard to believe with how that guy and you came running into my house, looking like that." He stepped forward and took Ryou's arm and pulled him away from Malik to speak with him. Malik growled his fangs lengthened and his eyes flashed crimson as he moved forward to get Ryou, when he wavered on his own feet.

A loud thud came and Ryou jumped looking back over his shoulder to see Malik had collapsed to the floor, and yelled out. "Bakura!" He pulled himself away from the old man and rushed to Malik's side falling to his knees. "Malik?" Ryou called out to him trying to wake him by lightly shaking him by his shoulders.

"What is it?!" Bakura looked about wildly as he pulled open the bathroom door he was now shirtless, bare foot and wet, spotting his two younger lovers on the floor he rushed over to them. "What happened?" He asked worriedly, Ryou shook his head.

"I don't know, he was fine a minute ago. He just collapsed." Bakura had locked eyes with Ryou as he had said it, but then narrowed them and looked Malik over, the pale Demon's eyes landed on Malik's gold choker, he undid the small snap at the back of Malik's neck and pulled it off as it would have been restrictive.

"Bakura?" Marik asked from the doorway of the bathroom, both his hands on the doorframe with a towel about his hips; all his bruising and cuts had healed but were still noticeable.

Grandpa instantly flustered at the sight and turned red in the face. "They were having sex in my bathroom?!" Bakura ignored him and said over his shoulder to Marik.

"Malik passed out." Bakura placed the choker into his pocket for the time being and moved to pick Malik up off the floor, he knew why and voiced it knowing how much Marik wasn't going to like what he was going to hear. "He used his powers to stop me."

"He what?!" Marik growled taking a few steps out of the door using one hand on the wall as a guide. Ryou seeing this got up to his feet and walked to his side guiding the tanned Demon's arm about his shoulder to help him walk without falling over or stumbling. "You know that he's not meant to."

"It was my fault, I'm sorry Marik." Bakura turned to them glancing at Ryou with Malik limp in his arms bridal style. "Where can I lay him down?!"

"My… my room, behind you." Bakura turned at Ryou's instructions to see the door ajar; Bakura opened it with a light push with his foot and entered.

Ryou started to move towards his room and Marik easily fell into step with him. "Ryou this isn't on!" The old man snapped at him grabbing the teen's arm stopping him. "I think you are in serious trouble but you are so close to it that you can't see it." He had managed to pull Ryou from Marik's side. "I can protect you from them." He whispered harshly enough for only Ryou to hear, but he hadn't been counting on the sensitive hearing the Demon's had. "Just say the words, I can get you help."

"The only help that will be needed here old man would be for you, if you don't keep your hands off him." Marik growled from the doorway.

"You need to respect peoples homes and some manners wouldn't go astray with you either." He huffed angrily.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Ryou yelled at him and ripped himself away, _again_, from the old man. He could stand no longer being pulled about like he was some kind of yoyo. He stumbled a little backwards bumping into Marik. "I see now that what I have chosen is going to be a problem with you."

"There is…" Started Grandpa still huffing in his anger as his chest heaved.

Ryou cut him off. "No." He took in a deep breath to calm himself down. "Is it going to be a problem with me seeing them?" Bakura now stood behind Marik, both Demons silent and intrigued on what the out come of this conversion was going to be. Marik had his hand rested on Ryou's hip and his arm. The teen felt his heart speed up in fear and his own insecurities, as he somehow knew the answer.

"Yes." Breathed the old man it was like a sigh of relief to all the ears in the hallway.

What would he do now? Ryou had nowhere to go, he had no money. He'd have to get a job and a new place to live and even have to leave school… how could the old man be like this? Ryou never asked for Grandpa to take him in, he was doing fine sleeping in the parks until morning then sneaking back to his apartment after his father was gone for the day to change for school… but then again they weren't related.

Ryou's world came back with a painful roar of his blood rushing in his ears and the painful ach in his chest. "I don't think that I could stand by and watch you do this to yourself because, these." He pointed to Marik and Bakura unable to call them anything, not by name, by male, man or even human, there was no words to describe what they were or what they were doing to the boy before him. "Because they may have thrown a few flattering words at you, you think they care for you… They in time will destroy your life."

Bakura had had enough of this old fools ramblings and how it was upsetting his mate, he stepped passed Marik and Ryou growled and spat out. "You can't even fathom what Ryou means to us." He took Ryou's hand in his then looked back, Bakura's voice hadn't dropped any of its anger his eyes were still narrowed. "We need to talk." Ryou hesitated for a minute just staring at Grandpa and still unbelieving what had just happened, he glanced unsurely at Bakura, was he angry with him for something he had said or done.

Bakura saw the look on Ryou's face and the pale Demon gently squeezed his hand to reassure him that there was nothing he had done that had placed the Demon into his now bad mood.

"It's okay." Marik whispered into Ryou's ear from behind, giving their human an incentive to move, Ryou nodded his head and followed Bakura, into his bedroom. Ryou couldn't even look the old man in the eyes. Marik unable to do anything more just stood there, Bakura came back out and took his hand and led him into the bedroom as well closing the door and leaving the old man in the hallway.

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**TBC**

This story is coming to an end soon, so close in fact that I can see it, and I tell you I'm happy about it, my short lived writers meltdown has passed and is no more, so **Review** please, I have been oh so good. (Love and Cookies)


	27. Chapter 27

A few things are going to be a little different, well the events from The House of Motou and in here, but I'm going to stick to the original plot as I can, but its just going to be a little bit more improved or why else would I be redoing it, ENJOY!!!

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi and a little incest its not much and it doesn't go to far, so people if don't like it or easily offended by it then **DO NOT READ**!! I insist that Flames will be used to toast my marshmallows. Disclaimer is… I own nothing!

**Chap 27**

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Bakura ran his hands through his hair with an unsure look on his face and slightly blushing himself as he lent on the door. Apologies for one were never easy and Bakura rarely used them, but no one said he couldn't do it well when the need called for such a thing. "I'm sorry we have caused you trouble." Ryou though had his back to the pale Demon watching as Marik sat down on the bed finding Malik's hand and held it in his.

"It was a long time coming." Ryou sighed heavily looking at him as he slumped his shoulders and looked away out the slightly open window as he wrapped his own arms about himself. Bakura knew that himself, Marik and Malik had played a part in the old man getting angry with the human.

"With what he said." Bakura started watching his human closely, he fought the urge to wrap his arms about Ryou and kill all those who had ever upset him in his life, including the old man.

Ryou cut in before Bakura could say anymore. "As nice as Grandpa is, I also thought from the start that I would be a little hard for him, even though he tried so hard to help me." Ryou looked up as Bakura wrapped his arms about him and he was pulled closer to Bakura's body.

"That's not true there is nothing hard about you." Bakura tilted his head to the side a little to get a better look at his human's face and lifted Ryou's chin up more.

"Y-you don't know me…" Ryou shook his head trying to keep his voice from trembling.

"I know you better then you think, we all do." Bakura glanced at Marik, as did Ryou, the tanned Demon nodded his head glancing at them but not meeting their eyes.

"He's right we know you so well and you know us very well." Marik said turning his head back towards Malik, Ryou frowned how could he know them so well? He only just met them this month and already he had fallen in love with each of them.

"You know that I'm a coward and run from everything that scares me or gets to tough for me to handle." Ryou pulled away a little from Bakura, but the pale Demon didn't let him get very far as he tightened his arms about the human. "The only reason that Grandpa took me in was because I was sleeping in the streets to avoid my abusive father." Ryou took in a deep shaky breath as tears filled his eyes. "Who mind you I should've had the guts to stand up too."

It was Marik that growled and said. "It took a lot of courage to withstand him as long as you did and not end up dead at his hands."

"Not everyone can live on the streets and come out still sweet and caring as you are. I have known Demon's, Werewolves and Vampires that wouldn't even attempt to do something like that, I for one wouldn't." Bakura lifted his chin once again looking right into his eyes. "Even Marik found sanctuary from his father with me in the human realm."

"You Marik?" Ryou moved his head from Bakura's gentle hold and looked at him, not once did he think that Marik would have gone through the same thing; he just had an air about him that he wouldn't have put up with anything like that or taking someone else abusing him. A feeling and a thought made itself known that Marik would have been the type of person to kill them on the spot.

"My father was the biggest bastard there was and tired to kill me once or twice." Marik sighed turning back to Malik his hand never stopping in the light caressing on his Mates cheek. "It took Bakura to take care of him for me."

"He's also responsible for Marik losing his sight." Was the angry growl from Bakura and the temperature in the room dropped a little at the change of the pale Demon's mood.

"What we are getting at." Marik said in a way to cut Bakura off before he went into an angry rant, which often happened when his father was mentioned and to change the subject to the more important one at hand, Ryou's state of homelessness. "Is what are you going to do, Ryou?" He was giving the human an opportunity to make up his own mind, before Bakura made it up from him.

"He's right." Bakura said calming down somewhat. "If the old man has kicked you out, where are you going to go?" Bakura asked, Ryou looked at one from the other not sure what to do or say.

"I don't know." He turned his eyes onto Malik looking him over; he wanted to ask about him, but would leave that for now, as the Demons seemed determined to discuss this.

"I don't want you going back to that bastard." Bakura growled again his fangs lengthening and his eyes turning crimson, if he had too, he would buy Ryou his own apartment and make sure that he could live comfortably until he was ready to move in with them.

"I would never go back there." Ryou shook his head and in away reassuring the Demons in the room. "It just seems to me that whoever I'm with I just become a burden too." Tears filled Ryou's voice, as he truly felt unwanted. "I guess I'll find an apartment somewhere."

"Listen, Ryou" Bakura moved a little closer to his human, the idea of Ryou living on his own made him nervous for some reason as if he would never see the human. "Stay with us, with me" Bakura whispered out but loud enough for everyone in the room to hear him.

"Move in with you?" Ryou looked at him wide eyed, he wasn't sure if he was ready for such a thing right now. "I couldn't."

Bakura saw the unsure look and tried to ease him before he lost him, _improvise_. "Well, not move in with us… But stay with us until you're on your feet and you get your own place… that room I offered you still stands." Bakura lent in a little more closely to Ryou that their noses were almost touching. "I want you where I know you'll be safe and not stressed." Ryou closed his eyes and sighed with a negative shake of his head, he had nowhere to go and no money. He could get a job and a small apartment and try and find time for school, but would it really work? He had his doubts, but if he stayed with Bakura he would have a roof over his head, food on the table and still go to school and maybe manage a small part time job to help out, he was not a _freeloader._ He opened his eyes and they wandered from Bakura's crimson ones to Malik and he winced inwardly as thoughts of what Malik would say or do, if he said no.

"Alright." Ryou said looking at Bakura, who smirked. "But just until I get my own place." The pale Demon bent down and kissed Ryou, and was a little surprised and delighted when Ryou opened his mouth and allowed him admittance. Bakura pulled him even closer and his hold on Ryou tightened a little as he purred, his human tasted sweet and inviting and the next thing, he was kissing Ryou hungrily, running his hand up to bury in his hair.

Ryou clutched onto Bakura's shirt on both sides of his waist, his lungs screamed for air, his lips felt swollen, his head swam and his knees week and ready to give out… and he loved it. "Hmmm. That was nice," Bakura said pulling away, but then he was kissing Ryou again, but when he did pull away he saw Ryou panting a little out of breath and flushed cheeks, Bakura couldn't help but kissing those lips just one more time.

Ryou lent on Bakura until his knees decided to work again. "Is Malik going to be okay?" he asked a change of subject from what they had been talking about before.

"He should be fine in a while." Marik said a growl in his voice that he wasn't happy that his mate had passed out from using his powers.

"Speaking of fine." Bakura let go of Ryou and walked over to the bed. "You're not." He took Marik's hand in his. "I need to get you over to see Seto." The earring that Ishizu had pulled off Marik had broken before she could rip his ear off with it, but a thought came, who's eyes did she pull out?

"I'm not leaving Malik." Marik pulled his hand out of Bakura's; he wasn't going to leave Malik's side while he was so vulnerable, he'd get his sight back after his mate woke up.

"It's okay Marik; I'll watch him until he wakes up." Ryou reassured him, knowing that Marik really needed to get his sight back and helping Bakura to get him moving.

"And you pack your stuff you're coming home with me, tonight." Bakura said in a commanding tone retaking Marik's hand again, the tanned Demon didn't resist him this time and stood up. That dreaded sick feeling washed over Ryou, he was so nervous about this, about staying with them, what if it all went wrong? "Ryou." Bakura lifted his chin when he saw that he was still so tense about this idea. "I'll take care of you, we all will. You have nothing to worry about." He gave his human a wink, when Ryou gave him a small smile and a nod of his head; he knew that Ryou would be okay even if he needed a little more reassuring. "We'll be back soon." Bakura said as he led Marik out of the room and house.

Ryou sighed as he slumped down on the bed next to Malik and looked him over brushing the hair from the Demon's face. Ryou got started on packing some of his things, which wasn't much to begin with, but when he was done he lent over Malik and placed a kiss to his lips. "I'll be downstairs." He whispered, it made him feel better about walking out of the room and leaving Malik alone.

Once Ryou hit the bottom floor of the house he walked into an argument between the old man and Yugi. "What is with you today?" Yugi growled out, his backpack was on the floor by his feet.

"I just want to know about your new friend." The old man grumbled out. "What are his intentions with you?" Ryou didn't move, as it seemed they didn't notice him and he was going to see where this conversation was going.

"What?!" Yugi flustered angry that his Grandpa had become suddenly nosey in his personal life. "Just what are you getting at with this?" He lent on the counter frowning angrily at his Grandpa.

"I've seen how he looks at you and I tell you it was the same way as that boy… Malik was looking at Ryou that day in the hallway when he was, was…" He left it at that, as he was unable to finish what he was saying. "Are you dating him?!" The old man snapped out.

"And if I was, would you stop me from seeing him?" Yugi asked the glass in his hands was going to break any minute at the grip he had on it.

"I think you and Ryou need to take a step back and see what's going on… I think."

"You are going to try and stop me, aren't you?" Yugi shook his head cutting in again. "

"I just want to make sure that you as my only Grandson make the right decisions and not throw away your life like Ryou has." He sighed pinching the bridge of his nose tiredly and adding. "It's okay for him to do it because he has no one who'll care… but you on the other hand have. Yugi, you have your whole future ahead of you." Ryou jerked it was a little surprising what people would say or what they really felt when they thought you can't hear or see them.

"What? What do you mean?" Yugi shook his head confused; he had been out early this morning with Yami to come home to his Grandpa in such a bad mood, what had Ryou done to piss off his Grandpa?

"He doesn't like the fact that I'm dating three people." Both Yugi and Grandpa jumped turning towards the doorway to find Ryou standing there glaring at them both and a little hurt that they would be talking behind his back.

"So it's not me." Yugi frowned at Ryou relieved a little that he wasn't the one to take the full blame for this mess. "It's you that he's pissed at." He pointed at Ryou.

"And I guess that makes it all better then." Ryou huffed at him, so much for being a good friend. "Well don't worry I'm not going to be around for long."

"It's not what I meant." Yugi ran a hand through his hair. "I was just trying to understand why, Grandpa!" Yugi looked pointedly at the old man then turned back to Ryou. "Was so angry and verbally attacked me." Yugi's frown deepened as what Ryou had just said came to his full attention. "What do you mean? You're not going to be here long enough?"

"I found somewhere else I can stay from now on." Ryou glanced at them both; Yugi's face fell a little not believing what he was hearing. Looking at his Grandpa and nodded his head towards Ryou with a plain indication for his Grandpa to say something anything to make Ryou stay with them and not move out, but he was just too angry with the teen and just looked away.

"Ryou don't do this." Yugi asked taking a step towards the other teen; he really didn't want his friend living on the streets again.

Ryou turned around and saw him leaning on the doorway heavily. "It is plainly clear that he is not wanted here anymore." Malik narrowed his crimson eyes at the old man he had heard some of the conversation but not all of it. "And I'll refuse to have him stay here and being uncomfortable."

"I think it's for the best that I move on, get on my own feet." Ryou gave them both a smile, but the old man was refusing to look at him and Yugi looked to be beside himself.

"Come on Ryou." Malik held out his hand for the teen, Ryou turned his back on him for a second.

"I'm thankful for you helping me out when you did." Ryou ran a hand through his hair glancing back up at them. "I'll be gone by tonight." He turned and Malik still had his hand out, Ryou took it and Malik lead him out of the kitchen. "Did you get the number of that sledgehammer?" Ryou gave him a soft smile of sympathy. "My head is killing me." Malik glanced back at him.

"I can get you something for that." Ryou said now leading Malik back upstairs.

"Where are Marik and Bakura?" Malik was holding the side of his head as pain throbbed through it.

"Bakura took Marik to see Seto." They both walked back into the bedroom and Ryou rushed out for a second into the bathroom and came back with a glass of water and a few painkillers in his hand.

While in the hallway he hadn't missed the yelling match downstairs and for once he was glad that he wasn't in the middle of it. He offered Malik the glass of water and the painkillers.

Malik took them from him and placed them in his mouth and downed the water then stood up. "What was that all about?" Malik catching on that he had missed something big.

"I'm moving out of here." Ryou took the glass from him and placed it down on the dresser just across from him and turned back to face the other.

"I guessed that much." Malik bit his lip and shifted on his feet a little looking about. "So do you have somewhere to go? If not I can fix you up your own room or you can have mine, but if you don't like being alone, I don't mind sharing a bed with you and I'll even drive you to school every morning, foods not a problem or money…" Malik rubbed the back of his neck meeting Ryou's eyes for the first time since he started his little rant. "And I also like the idea of living with you." Here Malik blushed a little and ducked his head. Why was Malik so hard to resist at times like this? All Ryou could do was smile softly and listen, unknowing to Malik that he had already agreed to move in with them. "More so having you about all the time… it's just nice." Malik took in a deep breath.

"Bakura offered me a room already." Ryou said but his smile faded as Malik seemed happy about him moving in with him but something else was bothering him. "Are you okay Malik?"

"I'm worried about Marik." Malik bit his lip and locked eyes with the human. "Do you mind if I leave you here and go over and see if he's alright." Malik wrapped his arms about Ryou and pulled him close. "Are you going to be okay here for a little while?" How Malik hated to leave his side but he really needed to see if Marik was all right.

"Take your time." Ryou said, in truth he wanted a little time to himself to get his head straight anyway. The half Demon, then leaned forward and kissed him on the lips, but the kiss had deepened so quickly and he started to ease Ryou back towards the bed.

He had missed this even though he had kissed Ryou many times before hand, but it was the freewill and the forwardness that the Demon was towards him and able to touch him when he pleased, not even Bakura and Marik had this freedom yet, that would soon change. Malik gasped as fingers found their way under his shirt and brushing lightly across his hips and around to the back dancing lightly over the skin as they went. "This isn't such a good…" Malik was cut off by his own sharp in take of breath and rolled his head back as Ryou assaulted his neck lightly in, kisses, nips and licks. "Ryou?!" He breathed out, and then lifted the human's chin up to kiss him.

Malik moved from Ryou's lips to kiss along his jaw line to his ear, Ryou pressed himself more into Malik, finding himself really needing more contact. Malik pulled him towards the bed. "Is it okay to do this?" Ryou gasped, as his rear end was squeezed, his hips pressed forward by the force to grind into the Demon making Ryou tilt his head back and moan in Malik's ear.

Malik tore his mouth away from Ryou's shoulder his hands making to remove the human's top. "As long as I don't…"

"Ryou?!" Came a knock as Yugi called out his name through the door, cutting Malik off.

To Malik's surprise it was Ryou who growled and gave Yugi a hard glare through the door, Malik tilted his chin back to face him and said softly. "It's okay and for the best that we stop." Ryou flushed red as he realized what they had been doing.

"Okay, but I need a minute." Ryou let out a heavy sigh and was still a little dazed and catching his breath. Malik laughed as he kissed him again but it was just a press of lips to feel the others against his own. He pulled away completely straightening up his clothing and helping Ryou.

"Are you sure your okay with me leaving?" Malik asked, knowing that the old man downstairs was in an angry mood and the last thing that he wanted was for Ryou to get an earful.

"I'll be fine; you're going to worry yourself sick if you don't go." Ryou ran his hands down the front of his body straightening his clothing one last time and knowing that Malik was watching every move he made.

"Stay out of trouble while I'm gone." Malik smirked and winked at him, Ryou smiled unsurely and wondered if he should let Malik leave on his own? The door was opened and Yugi was standing there and waiting for him.

"Ryou, I wanted to talk to you." Yugi bit his lip glancing at Malik then back to Ryou. "Could we take a walk?" He really didn't want to discus this in front of Malik.

"Sure." Ryou said, Malik cupped the human's face on one side and while he kissed the other side and whispered a goodbye before disappearing down the hall, the stairs and out the front door.

"He's really ummm, affectionate." Yugi blushed, remembering his Grandpa's rant about the two in the hallway, and how Yugi had seen the way they acted at school towards each other. Malik was always all over Ryou, holding hands, kissing, talking, laughing, eating off the same tray, plate, even sitting together in class.

"You have no idea." Ryou smiled as he stepped more out of the room. "So where are we going?"

"Anywhere we can talk." Yugi started to lead the way downstairs and soon the two left the house.

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Malik took the human's way and walked to the house, even though it was nearly on the other side of town, he didn't mind the walk at all… If he got sick of walking he could always fly. Malik smirked as he licked his lips and lightly touched them; he could still feel and taste Ryou's lips on his.

Unnoticed by him a dark figure swiftly moved in the alleyways going in the same direction as him, but staying in the shadows watching. The figure glanced up to see five jump across the rooftops.

Malik moved about the sidewalk to avoid getting walked into, humans were always in such a hurry to get things done in the short amount of time. He placed it down to them living such a short life… He frowned glancing up at the sky, Ryou was in the same boat, he would in time, pass a way like the rest of them. Tears burned his eyes as his heart jumped in his chest, he couldn't do, not again, to stand by and watch Ryou grow old and die before his very eyes. He would have to bring this to Bakura's attention have something done about changing Ryou into a Demon fast.

Malik was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't see the figure standing right next to him as he walked by it. "Malik." He stopped at hearing his name whispered and turned back to see someone standing a good six feet away.

"I don't talk to strangers." It was his half smart-ass comment; suddenly he was bound by dark energy. His arms pressed to his sides unable to move and it wrapped about his legs and he was pulled into the alleyway, and even though the street was full of people no one saw it.

Malik was slammed up against a wall on his back and suddenly pain shot through his shoulder and he let out a scream, it filled the area but never reached passed the entrance due to magic surrounding the alleyway. "Malik it pains me to see you in such a way." Ishizu purred in his ear and pulled the dagger from his shoulder. Malik gasped once it was pulled free, but then she backhanded him, sending Malik to his hands and knees, his wings spread out from his back as a defense against the attack.

Ishizu took a step and kicked him in the ribs sending him onto his back; Malik coughed holding his side trying to get his breath back. Ishizu swiftly moved and straddled his waist, placing her full weight on him, then driving her long dagger through that same shoulder, mixed with Malik's scream was the sound of the blade sticking into the cement under him.

Malik glanced up panting hard and smirked despite the pain he was in. "I see your looks have somehow improved." Malik laughed though his body hurt, but he found it helped the pain he was in to insult her.

Ishizu growled as she touched her left eye that was blackened by a bruise and covered with makeup, her lip was split and still shiny with blood through her red lipstick. "Bakura will regret what he did." She spat at him angrily, gripping Malik's left wrist and pinning it down as she stabbed it right through the palm of his hand, Malik let out another scream.

Movement on the rooftops Malik knew it was more Witches surrounding him, all of them to watch him die at the hands of his sister. "You don't know Bakura that well then." Malik then glanced at her; he could feel his energy slipping away. "If anything he's regretting not killing you."

"He is a bastard." She pulled out another dagger and placed the tip of the blade at his throat and dug the tip in but not letting it break the skin.

"Only to you." Malik put in pointedly, his breathing came in hard as he bleed out, from his shoulder and hand.

"Why do you do this to yourself, Malik?" She said softly and waved her hand for all them to leave.

"Do what? Walk home?" Malik kept his eyes straight ahead on the sky, he was practically furious at her and wanted to kill her where she sat, but he knew that if he made a move, she'd stab that dagger right through his neck.

"Being with him… with Marik." She said his name like it was a bad taste in her mouth, then sliced opened his shirt with the dagger and tore it from his body.

"I told you before…"

"Do you remember when we were kids, how close we were?" She glanced at him her voice soft and had a tone that she had always used on him when they were face to face, a caring and almost a motherly tone and it made him sick.

"No." Malik shook his head; Ishizu frowned but then slowly smiled as something came to mind and she laughed a little at her own thoughts. Oh how Malik wanted to slit her throat and let her choke on her own tongue for what she did to Marik.

"Remember that day I was teaching you to read in the library and we left the candle burning and it almost brunt down the place?" She laughed the sound airy, light and happy as she removed his gold earnings, and armbands and finally his wrist cuffs. "Father was so angry that he was going to have us flogged, ten lashes each. I took the fall to save you." She closed her eyes and reopened them tracing her finger on his right upper arm where his mated mark was, and suddenly she gripped his arm tightly and his skin started to blister instantly as if being burnt.

"STOP!? Malik screamed at her it felt as if she was melting his skin off from his arm.

Ishizu continued with what she was saying and ignoring his cry. "You were so frightened for me and begged me not to do it." She lent forward a little folding her arms over his chest and resting her chin on them looking at him, while one hand played with a bit of his hair that fell over his shoulder. "You always looked up to me for comfort and protection." Ishizu smiled sweetly at him.

Malik snorted and was still refusing to look at her. "Remember when you attacked me and Marik one night, while we were sleeping, you broke his wing, leaving him unable to fly for a month." The humans out in the street walked by oblivious to what was happening. "Or when you kidnapped Marik for two weeks with your Vampires and tortured him, until Bakura and I took him back. Or how about when you followed us to England and attacked us resulting in burning down our home and almost the town and did I mention that you killed Ryou, who mind you was very much a human at the age of seventeen?"

She rolled her eyes and made a dejected clicking sound with her tongue. "When are you going to get over the fact that I killed him?" She glanced at him as she sat up a little and then moved her hands to run over his chest slowly. "It was centuries ago… I was trying to win a war and get you back. Any self-respecting Witch, Werewolf, Elf and even Vampire would have done the same thing… when are you going to get over it? I know I did."

"Get over it?! So I should just forgive you for trying to kill the ones that have, cared, loved, protected and sheltered me?" Malik glanced at her this time; he shifted trying to dislodge her hands from his chest as her hands ran over both his nipples.

"Well yeah." She shrugged her shoulder with a smirk still running her hands up his chest and over his shoulders avoiding the dagger still stuck in his shoulder, Ishizu had to lean forward to do so. Her breasts now pressed against his chest and she let out a small sigh, running her hands down his arms, Malik hissed as the burn on his arm was rubbed. "I'm doing this because I think what they are doing is wrong, feeding off the innocent…" Malik growled at her, as he felt her hands now running down his sides to his waistband of his jeans. He gave her a look that he didn't believe that and caught her out on her lie. "Okay… so I do hate him, but I'm doing all this for you. Why can't you see what he is doing to you? What he did to you all those years ago?"

"He's not doing anything to me… Marik, only changed me into a D-Demon so I could live and along the way I fell in love with him." He gasped again as her hand went under that waistband and into his boxers and gripped his bare hip.

"But you loved me first." She whispered into his ear and Malik's heart pounded in his chest harder and he let out a louder gasp of shock as her hand moved over his hip and grabbed onto his length.

"Get the fuck off me?!" Malik hissed at her and started to struggle, he brought up his free hand and slapped her across the cheek hard and then drabbed her by the back of her head by the hair.

She giggled a little but didn't move. "He erased your memories of me." She said ignoring what he said and not removing her hand from within his pants. Ishizu's other hand gripped onto his wing and she brought her knee up against the soft feathers and snapped his wing over her knee and she smirked at the feeling of the bone crunching under her hand. Malik arched his back off the ground and screamed out, letting go of his sister's hair. She pulled her hand out from his pants and placed it into his hair and pulled on it to force him to look at her. "Talk to me." She said in his ear then taking his earlobe into her mouth and biting it rather hard making it bleed. "I'll make it more painful." She hissed out as Malik whimpered.

He was panting hard and his vision darkened on him as if someone dulled down the lights of the world, the pain running down his back and over his shoulder, he had felt nothing like it before. "I said!" She pulled out the dagger from his hand then re-stab it again, pinning it back into place on the ground. "Don't ignore me, little brother."

Malik's mind scrambled through the pain to recall what their conversation was about, knowing full well that she would keep going until he did. Ishizu growled again and pulled another dagger from her boot and brought it up to stab him through the other shoulder or the wing, she hadn't decided. "The… the h-healers." Malik found himself struggling to focus and she stopped her hand before it could inflict any more pain on him. "The Healers said it was the… the sickness that took all… all of my memories, Marik… not Marik." His eyes slowly closed but a slap to his cheek brought him back and he was looking at her again.

"He did have something to do with it." She huffed angrily, but then slowly ran her tongue up the center of his chest and stopping just near his throat, purring out in a whisper. "He forces you to sleep with him and Bakura and now Ryou. They force you to be in their sick twisted world, were as I only wish for your happiness and freedom." Malik couldn't feel her on him anymore the pain drowned out every other sensation.

"You're the… the sick and twisted one… you're the one feeling up your own brother." Her face darkened by anger and she drove the second dagger into his other hand and pinning that one to the cement ground as well near his side.

"Stick to the subject at hand." She smirked.

He wanted to give in and fall unconscious; his sister wasn't going to let him until she was through with him or kill him. Ishizu could see his eyes were now unforced and clouded over with pain, a truly delightful sight. "Why can't you see that I'm happy with them?" He glanced at her his own words falling from his lips, as he just wanted this to be over with. "If I couldn't be with Marik or was forced to leave his side." His eyes narrowed slightly and his voice was filled with an emotion that she wasn't able to name. "I'd die." It had happened once, when he was dragged from Marik's side by the Demon council and locked away with the rest of the so called insane, but he was an addict.

Malik had soon fallen on the brink of death that not even the best of Healers could save him, so they placed him back with Marik almost dead. No one could explain to him why he got so sick when he was away from Marik's side for too long; it had nothing to do with his mark or the mating bounds he shared with the Demon, but something else.

"That's absurd, of coarse Marik's going to lie to you to keep you in his bed and as his whore, Malik." She had then kissed her way up his neck almost to his lips.

"I like being his whore." It came out so easily and he knew it pissed her off to hear how happy he was at the hands of his Demon mate.

"Fine!" She snapped viciously pulling away. "I have ways to make you change your mind."

"W-what are you going to do rape me?" He out right laughed at her finding it funny but started to cough as blood ran from his mouth. Ishizu narrowed her eyes and she snatched the dagger out of his right hand and drove it into his side and twisted it, blood ran over the knife and her hand, as he screamed out again.

She pulled it free from his side and glanced back at him. "You are going to be my very helpful decoy." Malik let out a coughing fit. "It'll be fun." She encouraged him with a playful tap to his chest.

"What are you planning?" He found his heart beating in his chest rather painfully and with her pressed up against him it was like she was crushing him.

"Would you like know?" Ishizu said running her hands up his sides and over his chest with another soft sigh. "I have it all in my head and it's great… and your part is the best of all and I cant wait to see the look on your face when I kill Marik and Bakura."

"You're not going to get… a-a chance too." She moved up so they were nose to nose and her top half was pressed against him tightly, her leather pants creaked with her moments and her knees tucked under his arms and his sides. "I'm going kill you… and for what you did to Marik." Malik growled, he had indeed had enough of her trying to kill the ones he loved.

"So he did live." She narrowed her blue eyes at him, her breath washed over his lips, and she could feel his heartbeat against her chest and the attempted heaving of his chest as he tried to breath. "Don't worry by the time you wake up and make your way home, I would have killed them all."

"No." Malik gasped as tears ran from his eyes, but he cried out as Ishizu stuck her fingers into the open wound in his side and kissed him plunging her tongue into his mouth, but she soon pulled away a little out of breath. "You can come and find me afterwards, I'll take you in…Goodbye Malik." She said as he fell unconscious.

Ishizu sat there for a few minutes just watching him and patting his hair. "I never wanted to do this to you." She choked back her own sob as her tears fell free; she lent forward and pressed her lips to Malik's again in a lingering kiss. Ishizu finally got up off her brother and glanced down at him, she never realized how much a Demon could bleed out when you broke their wings. "Move him so he won't be found as easily." She barked her order at the others that were with her.

They grabbed onto Malik under his arms lifted his top half and dragged him deeper into the alleyway and dropped him down in-between to dumpsters, and then the group vanished from the area, as they were never there.

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**TBC**

Do you see now what I mean about seeing this story coming to an end and I tell you I'm sad knowing it's going to end but I'm happy at the same time, so **R&R** (Love and Cookies)


	28. Chapter 28

Another update for you guys, so I hope you enjoy it.

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, slight abuse and bad language. Disclaimer is… '_I own nothing_!'

**Chap 28**

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"You really don't have to leave." Yugi said his hands deep in his pockets glancing up at Ryou; the sun was now setting casting long shadows over the city.

"I do." Ryou said turning his eyes up towards the darkening sky, they had been out since Malik left earlier that day… Ryou frowned as he suddenly dug about in his pockets for some change.

"I don't see why you have too… and you can't consider living with Malik." Yugi wrinkled his nose up; he only got the part that Ryou was moving in with the teen.

"There is nothing wrong with Malik!" Ryou snapped at him glaring, why did everyone think that there was something wrong with the Demon.

"He's weird okay, and clingy and possessive." Yugi sighed kicking a small rock out of his path glancing up at the taller teen adding. "You didn't see how he growled at me when I was sitting next to you at lunch or when he pushed me out of the way just to stand behind you in the lunch line… If I hadn't of moved I swore he would have chewed me up and spat me out or hung me from a hook on a wall somewhere."

Ryou narrowed his eyes at Yugi and didn't say anything as he then looked about and spotted a phone across the street and started to make his way towards it, clutching the few coins in his hand.

"Ryou?!" Yugi mumbled following him and trying to get him to see reason. "But Grandpa is just upset because he doesn't understand." A change of subject as the one about Malik only seemed to upset the other and that's not what Yugi's intentions were.

"He understands well enough." Ryou shot back, it was only natural that Yugi would try to defend his Grandfather.

"Well he was shocked, I mean three boyfriends Ryou? Are you truly that insecure about yourself?" Ryou turned around with a glare that had Yugi recoiling back a little and stopped walking.

"Is it that you have nothing better to do then talk about what I'm doing with my life?" Ryou narrowed his eyes, he was so sick of everyone questing him on what he was doing, it was bad enough that he doubted himself about what he was doing, he didn't want his friends doing it as well.

"You should think this through a little better is all I'm saying." Yugi bit his lip and avoided eye contact with his friend.

"Just drop it already, I'm tired of hearing it." Ryou turned around and picked up the phone and placed his money in and dialed the number he had memorized. "I am moving in with them and nothing you say will change my mind." Ryou said in a tone that silenced him. Ryou sighed as he listened to the phone ring out on the other end. He was a little worried about letting Malik go off on his own and wanted to make sure that he had gotten home okay.

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The pain that shot through Marik's head was as if Seto himself was crushing his brain from the inside. Marik panted and pulled his head away from the Healers hands with a pained growl and lent on the table that he was behind him. "What are you doing?!" He snapped and placed both hands against his eyes and then fell to his knees.

Bakura jerked at hearing the words from his place near the wall. "Damn it Seto!" Bakura growled as he approached them and pushed the Demon aside to get to Marik. "What's taking so long?" He demanded to know while helping Marik to stand on his feet again.

"It took days last time, remember?" Seto said calmly and to his own defense, he was shaking a little from using his powers for so long, they had been at it for a few hours.

"Just." Marik was still panting and he was covered in sweat, his body trembled with the effort to stand. "It doesn't feel right." Marik said again as he clung to Bakura for support, who glanced at Seto angrily.

"Marik." Bakura moved a little closer to him gripping onto his arm a little, the phone started to ring; Seto took his leave to go answer it and giving Marik a break as returning his eyesight was very painful indeed.

"It's not the spell." Marik lent heavily against the table.

"Then what is it?" Bakura asked getting a little worried that Marik would be permanently blind, not that it would be a problem for him, but it would be for Marik, having to rely on his loved ones to help him. Marik was too headstrong and stubborn for something like that.

"I'm not sure, I thought it was Seto binding the spells to me, but it's…" He frowned then glanced up at where he thought he would be looking Bakura in the eye, hands cupped his face and Bakura lifted it so he was looking at the other in the eyes, fighting the urge to wince when he saw Marik's eyes had filled with black blood, not one bit of colour in them. "It's Malik." Bakura now understood and let out a deep breath.

"Malik might have woken up and you know how he gets if you're not with him." Bakura knew the ties of mated bonding and he missed it so much after Ryou had die, it was as if the boy had taken half his soul with him. The bond that Marik and Malik shared was unusually strong for a Demon couple… "Ryou's watching over him anyway, so if something was to happen he would let us know."

"Maybe." Marik trailed off, not really thinking that that was what he was feeling, it was a hollow helpless feeling that was pulling at the pit of his stomach and his heart. Malik needed him and he was unable to go to him in his state, he had to wait.

"I think it's enough for one day." Bakura said softly, not really understanding the tanned Demon's need and he also didn't like to see Marik in such away. Once he got Marik to rest he would go and get both of his lovers and bring them home.

His mind made up. "I just need a minute to catch my breath." Marik said not waiting to stop until he could see. The feeling was tolerable but, he couldn't bare not knowing what Malik wanted and there was nothing he could do right now. "And having you wait on me hand and foot is not my idea of fun." Marik couldn't see the wicked smirk that played on the pale Demon face, as he tilted Marik's face up just a little more, and their lips were about a hair width away.

"Having you at my complete mercy for a night." Bakura purred out seductively as he moved himself even closer that their bodies were flush against each other and Bakura wrapped his arms about the older Demon's neck. "I can't think of a more perfect thought."

"You'd love that." Marik wrapped his arms about Bakura's waist drawing him in even closer; he would ask Bakura to go see Malik for him while Seto worked on getting him his sigh back. There was also no need to panic Bakura over what he was feeling, his mate _was_ with Ryou after all, and Bakura closed the small gap and kissed him.

"You have a room upstairs." Seto stated as he walked into the room interrupting them. "Ryou's on the phone, it's in the kitchen."

Marik tensed up and whispered. "Malik?"

"What about…" Bakura trailed off not wanting to leave Marik.

"Go, I'll be fine." Marik reassured him, hoping that nothing bad had happened, they had taken so much shit from their enemies in the last few weeks and it was taking its toll on them, on him. He smiled as Bakura caressed his cheek with a soft kiss to his lips before he turned and left to talk to Ryou.

Bakura walked into the kitchen seeing the phone sitting on the counter, he picked it up. "Miss me already?"

'_I do actually.'_ Bakura smirked at the reply. _'But the reason I called is… I didn't know if I've done the right thing… and __**now**__ I'm worried.' _His smirk faded at hearing the unsure tone in Ryou's voice and about him being worried, had his human changed his mind? Or did that old man change it for him? Bakura growled if he found out that that old man had threatened Ryou in anyway. He'd dump the old man in the middle of a Vampire colony, _alive and at night_.

Bakura walked out of the kitchen heading back to Marik, not sure why the Healer didn't bring the phone with him. "Tell me?" Bakura asked.

'_I wasn't sure and Malik was okay…" _Bakura heard the deep sigh from his human and unwillingness in his voice. '_He wanted to see Marik and I let him leave.' _

Oh hell, this was not good… "Alright, don't worry yourself." Bakura said keeping himself calm and stopped outside the door for a second, not wanting Marik to hear. "Though it doesn't look it, Malik can take care of himself very well." He lent on the wall, hearing Seto chant his spells again inside the room. "When did he leave?"

'_That's the thing, he left soon after you and Marik did.'_ Bakura froze on the spot, that was hours ago and Malik should have been here already._ 'Bakura is everything okay… did Malik make it alright?'_

"He's… he's not here?" Bakura said walking away from the door so the tanned Demon wouldn't hear, and he wanted to kick himself for not trusting in Marik and leaving Malik with Ryou, he trusted the human with his life, but it was Malik, he knew how the half Demon would be once he woke up.

'_I knew I shouldn't have let him leave, but he really wanted to see Marik. I'm so sorry Bakura.' _

"Don't worry yourself my love. Malik's probably off doing his own thing before coming here." Bakura knew he was lying through his teeth and he knew Malik would have made a fast trek home to be with Marik. "Ryou go home and I'll have him call you as soon as he walks in the door."

'…_Okay.' _Was the soft unsure reply.

"I'll see you soon." Bakura heard the soft goodbye as the phone was hung up; he dropped the phone onto the small table in the hallway and grabbing his jacket before rushing out the front door.

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Malik gasped awake and cried out, the pain that shot through his body making it imposable to move a loud sob escaped his lips and called for Marik, his voice echoed off the walls, and then he fell in and out of consciousness… he didn't know how long he had been there, but he needed to feed and get home, it was completely dark when he woke again and light rain was falling and he was soaking wet, his blood ran into the puddles about him.

He placed his wounded hand against his side where she had stabbed him, wincing and choked back a sob at the small amount of pressure; he hadn't felt pain like this in a very long time and he wanted Marik.

His mind cleared a little and the events with his Sister flashed across his mind like a sharp knife, Ryou. Whatever her plain was she would target Ryou next to get to Marik and Bakura. Ishizu was serious this time for she had never assaulted him this badly before. He rolled onto his side his face almost in a puddle of dirty water, gritting his teeth, holding back his pained scream and holding his side as he pushed himself up. The open wound in his shoulder bleed out from being use to push up his body weight, letting out a scream as he got to his feet and fell against the dumpster.

Ryou's place was so much closer then the mansion, he wasn't sure on what he could do to protect Ryou against his Sister, for he would be damned if he would let her take the human from them again. Malik took a step; his legs shook as pain racked his body. His wings unable to hide them now, one sat against his back and the broken one hung limply and dragged on the ground behind him like a dead weigh. Malik never knew just how heavy his wings could be.

Malik soon reached the edge of the alleyway panting out of breath as he fell against the brick wall heavenly and slid down with a choked sob, pulling his hand away from his side to see the blood gush out, he put his hand back and was about to stand up and keep going.

A pair of black knee-high boots came into his blurred vision. "Hello sweet thing." Was a soft purred voice.

Malik looked up knowing just who she was. "W-what do you want?"

"Oh honey you look upset to see me." She pouted. "I'm hurt baby."

Malik pushed himself up shakily leaning on the wall glaring at her. "Get me a stake and I'll show you pain, Mai."

"Oh, that would be a silver stake not wood, love, complements of your, dear Sister." Mai stepped closer to Malik and pushed him over. Malik cried out in pain as his broken wing was crushed under his back. She stood over him with her boots on either side of the Demon's body. "Your Sister has it in her head that she can get her hands on an awesome little power toy."

Malik calmed himself down and taking in a breath so he could talk. "Just where is this power toy?"

"In a human." Mai grinned; her long blonde hair blew about in the light breeze. "Ishizu said this would be fun for all those involved…" Mai lifted her boot and placed the spiked heel into the open and bleeding wound in Malik's shoulder and pressed it in. Her eyes turned crimson with the lengthening of her fangs with a sadistic smirk as Malik screamed out and grabbed hold of her leg. "Do you like games Malik? I sure do." She lent forward and twisted her heel a little and Malik screamed out. "I like to play fair. So I'm going to give you a fighting chance, you pathetic little sex slave."

Malik panted his vision blurred but he still could make her out, his hair stuck to his face from the rain and sweat. "You're a chip whore, no matter how you dress, smell or attack, you're still, that chip one copper whore in a run down tavern, and I can still smell the men on you." Her smirk faded from her face as she removed her heel from his shoulder and kicked him in the side.

Mai Kujaku not impressed that she was once again reminded of being a prostitute in her parent's tavern back in 1204 at the age of twenty, living off whatever she got each night. Until she led a Vampire to her bed and he had turned her. Mai left her home surviving off rodents after killing her own parents and sisters. Ishizu came along gave her humans to feed off, a roof over her head, a place to sleep, and in return. Mai worked for her no matter what it was and spent her time hunting and trying to kill Marik and Bakura and aiding the Witch in getting her brother back.

Malik rolled onto his side trying to hold in his sob as he pulled himself into a ball holding his side, if he kept bleeding out like this he would die. "That girl is long dead." She hissed at him.

"You know what the humans say." Malik gritted out. "You can't teach an old whore new tricks." He laughed at her that turned into a coughing fit and blood ran from his lips.

Mai smirked as he pushed Malik with her foot so he rolled onto his back on the cement floor of the alleyway and just stared down at him. "At first Malik, I thought your Sister was a little insane when she said that your human slave was alive." She started to walk around him, watching him. "To my surprise I find it true and I have to say his much better looking then Bakura and Marik… and I bet he tastes just as good." There was a purr in her voice. "Have you tasted him yet? I bet his blood is as sweet as he looks." She circled him. "Oh and your human lives with Yami's new pet." She giggled. "I get two little lambs with one stone."

"Touch him and I'll kill you myself." Malik growled out from the flat of his back, his energy was just about tapped out and he wasn't going to spend it on fighting her now. He needed it to get to Ryou and put a stop to whatever they wanted.

"You see my sweet one." Mai crouched down beside him and picked up his hand. "This is were the game comes in." She brought his hand to her face and turned it just so. If you asked her she would just kill off Malik… and then Bakura and Marik would be easy pickings. But no! Ishizu liked her mind fucking games and toying with her brother's emotions. "If you beat me to your human, I'll let you keep him. But if I win… I take him to your Sister and turn him into one of us, if there is anything left of him." She sank her fangs into his open bleeding wound on his palm and drank from it.

With what strength he had Malik lashed out at her, Mai ripped her fangs from his hand and jumped away giggling as she wiped at her blood stained lips and chin. "Just as sweet as I remember you being, Malik."

Malik had to think of a away to stop her and only one thing came to mind that he could think of. "Take me!" Malik growled at her as he struggled to stand up, clutching at his side.

"What?!" She frowned pulling her fingers away from her own lips.

"Take me to Ishizu." Malik's heart pounded in his chest as tears fell and were washed away with the light rain. "I surrender, I'll leave Marik for her." Malik almost choked on his own words.

Mai swiftly stood up, now she wasn't sure what she should do, this was what her mistress wanted for so long. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" She walked up to him briskly and grabbed him by the back of his head staring right into his eyes. "NO!" She screamed at him. "You do as I tell you! I'll take you to your Sister and she'll still kill everyone you know… or you can take my option?"

The Vampire was right, if he gave in, Ishizu would still take Ryou and he himself would be forced to leave Marik and who knew what his Sister would do to them by using him against them, it wasn't fair to them. "Fine." Malik spat out.

"That's the spirit, love." She let him go and backed up deeper into the alleyway. "Let the games begin." She vanished into the shadows with a giggle.

"MAI!" Malik screamed at her and went to run after her, he took one step he fell to his knees, knowing she was gone and he didn't have anything in him to beat her. "Marik I need you." Malik sobbed out as he pushed himself up and headed back to Ryou, he had to try.

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Ryou looked over the bags on the floor of his room from his bed, sitting on the edge wondering what to do now to kill the time while he waited for Bakura to turn up or Malik to call him. Anything, to stop him worrying on what life will hold for him after he left this place. "That's it!" Ryou stood up and left the room, heading downstairs.

The sounds from the t.v was going and Yugi was watching it in the dark room, wrapped up in a blanket. "You want to watch the movie with me?" Yugi asked looking up at his friend when Ryou stood in the doorway.

"I'm not in the mood." Ryou gave him a soft smile as he chewed at his bottom lip. "They should be here soon." He turned to leave the living room when a knock came at the front door. Ryou sighed and his smile widened as he rushed for the front door and pulled it open. "Bakura?!"

"Hey" Bakura smirked standing in the threshold and glanced about behind Ryou into the house and he didn't pick up Malik's scent, the half Demon wasn't here.

"Come in." Ryou opened the door more and stepped aside to let him in.

"No, I'm busy right now." Bakura turned his crimson eyes to his human. "But I'll be back to get you later."

Ryou frowned watching him, he looked anxious to get moving something that was new to see on the pale Demon. "Is something wrong?"

"No!" Bakura answered too quickly for his own liking, he didn't like lying to the ones he loved, avoiding questions were so much easy and he wouldn't get into as much trouble.

"There is, isn't there?" Ryou's grip on the door tightened, tears burned his eyes and his heart sank. "Malik's missing isn't he?" Bakura gave him a look that said he was. "I'll get my jacket and I'll help you look for him." Ryou turned around and went to run off, but Bakura stopped him by grabbing onto his arm and pulled him back, Ryou fell against his chest as arms wrapped about him in a hug.

"It's safer if you stay here in case Malik turns up." Bakura glanced about something seemed a little off but he wasn't sure what, but Malik needed to be found.

"No!" Ryou shook his head. "I was the one that was responsible in leting him go on his own… and who knows what his gotten himself into?!"

"My thoughts exactly." Bakura lent down and placed a kiss to his human's lips. "Please stay here as soon as I find him I'll bring him to you."

"Alright." Ryou gripped onto Bakura's black jacket and lent up kissing him on the lips and pulled back letting him go. "Just be careful." Bakura smirked caressing his cheek and turned walking off into the night. Ryou bit is lip and with a worried sigh as he closed and locked the door.

Both Human and Demon missing the dark shadow perched on the rooftop across the street watching them.

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**TBC **

Now the chaps from here on in are going to be different from The House of Motou but not much, hoping, hoping! Okay but it'll be better, well in my eyes it will be, so **R&R**. (Love and Cookies)


	29. Chapter 29

Hi (waves) I'm here just as a small reminder that once again I'm reminding you all that this is going to be a little deferent, okay? And hopefully better, yes! Aiming for better here, enjoy.

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, Disclaimer is… '_I own nothing_!'

**Chap 29**

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Both Human and Demon missing the dark shadow perched on the rooftop across the street watching them.

Mai ducked back into the shadows as Bakura almost flew right over the top of her and at such a speed. She smirked as she glanced down the street, Malik should be joining her soon. Mai glanced at the house and her smirk turned into a sadistic one, this was going to be fun. Now all she had to do was time it right.

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It was getting late and both Yugi and Ryou sat in the living room, one was to engrossed into the movie on the screen, while the other worried over the ones he loved that were out this late at night instead of being here with him. "What are you worried about?" Yugi asked not looking or glancing at the other.

"Nothing." Ryou mumbled his eyes on the screen but he wasn't seeing what was going on, his mind was all over the place wondering what might have happened to Malik to have him gone this long.

They both fell into silence again as the action picked up in the movie Yugi wriggled a little in his place and getting a little excited in the turn of the movie. Ryou glanced at his bags near the front door. He wondered if he should just take his bags and leave, but he didn't want to leave Bakura thinking that he was here and inconvenience the Demon of having to look for him.

Yugi yawned as he stretched getting up. "I'm going to bed." He mumbled looking down at Ryou, biting his lip. "You can still can change your mind, you know?" Said Yugi as he turned off the t.v. "I'm not going to." Ryou glanced up at him. "I'm still going to see you in school, right?" Yugi asked.

"Sure, I'll be going." Ryou nodded.

"Since they are late you could just spend the night." Yugi offered glancing at the few bags against the wall, his friends really didn't have much if he could fit all he had into two duffle bags.

"I'll wait for them and I left my keys on the table." Ryou stood up as well, but gasped as Yugi hugged him and pulled back slightly afterwards looking up at the taller male.

"Just take care of yourself, okay." Yugi frowned at him. "And if it doesn't work out you could always come back here." Ryou doubted that that would be that easy considering Grandpa's mood, and to be honest, Ryou had seen the something in his father. It was for best that he moved out and never came back here, but for a visit.

"I know." Ryou smiled as Yugi pulled away completely and headed out of the room.

A knock came from the front door and Ryou walked up to it as Yugi stopped on the stairs watching to see who it was. Ryou's hand barely touched the door handle when it burst open, knocking Ryou back onto the floor.

"Ryou!" Yugi rushed over to him and knelt down then glanced up to see who would be so rude to do such a thing.

"My, my." Mai grinned as she glanced down at the Welcoming mat. "I wonder why your Demon's never picked that one up." She took a big step over the mat and into the house, one thing never changed and that was the need to be welcomed into ones home, a small inconvenience to say the least.

"What do you want?" Yugi growled out wondering if she was here to rob them, but he couldn't think of anything of value that they owned.

Mai's smirk was enough to make Yugi recoil back a little and his grip on Ryou's shoulders tightened. "I have my boyfriend coming over any minute now, so you better leave." Yugi shot at her, it was most likely true but and also his Grandpa.

"That would be Yami, am I correct?" Her eyes flashed crimson and her fangs lengthened to the point of being seen. "You boy." She pointed at Ryou. "I smelt you all over Malik as I aided in his life ending… I hope you weren't to attached or expecting to see him ever again." Wounded or not he should have been here already, the damn Demon was no fun at all and was most likely bleeding out and dead in some gutter.

"What did you do to him?" Ryou demanded, was this someone who was also responsible for Marik being injured, and now Malik? He hoped that Bakura had been able to find Malik and turn up here to stop this woman.

"Ishizu did the most work and I finished it, which means I win." She laughed. "You two are coming with me." She moved forward towards them swiftly as if floating on air. "A change in life is in order and you'll love being Vampires." Ryou kicked his foot out hitting her in the ankle knocking her down and unintentional she had landed on top of him. Yugi was pushed away by the small struggle and fell against the wall. "Eager aren't we?" She growled out like a hungry dog as something seemed to take her over.

She pulled Ryou's head back by his hair and opened her mouth wide to show two long sharp fangs aimed right at his neck. With the older woman's weight on him Ryou's found it hard to breath as she was just about crushing him.

"Get off me!" Ryou gasped out and tried to shove her off but she was far stronger then him and pinned him down.

"It doesn't hurt for long." She hissed out like a cat, she dove her hands onto his white hair and forced his head back roughly and licked up his neck from his collarbone to his jaw line. Ryou whimpered still trying to push her off him, Mai ignoring the sides of her tight top, being yanked on.

"Mai!" Came a growl by the doorway and she gasped as she was ripped off the human, Ryou cried out as well as she took some of his hair with her and scratched his neck with her nails. Mai turned on her back to see Malik had a good hold of her foot.

"I thought you were dead, Hon." She looked surprised to see him and sounded furious for being interrupted from a feeding, but in a way she was glad in not having her mistress's plans ruined.

"No, but you will be." Malik had both his hands were wrapped in a makeshift bandages made from his shirt; the rest of his black shirt was wrapped about his waist. He pulled out a silver letter opener from the hem of his jeans. She paled and kicked up, getting him in the face. Malik fell back out of the house with a pained yelped as his injuries were strained with movement and his wing was crushed under him as he hit the ground. "Run Ryou!" Malik gasped trying to get back up, Mai walked up and closed the door and locked it, it wouldn't stop the Demon but it would slow him down as well as the Human's.

Ryou scuffled up to his feet and rushed to Yugi and pulled him up to his feet and headed for the back door. "My little lambs, come to the slaughter, the butcher wants to play." Mai followed them at a slower pace and with a hearty laugh at their expense.

Ryou was a few feet from the door when Mai appeared again blocking their away, the teen instantly turned and headed out of the kitchen the same way he had came in, they both yelped out in surprise as arms wrapped about them and Ryou struggled to stay on his feet by the extra weight, Ryou looked up and let out a breath. "Where is she?" Malik asked looking about.

"In the kitchen." Ryou looked in the direction he had said watching for her to come out.

"You two get out of here, go…" A hand came out from nowhere and Malik was thrown backwards into the front door smashing it down with him as he rolled out into the front yard and lay there in a mess of wood, wings and limbs, not moving.

"Malik!" Ryou went to follow him, Yugi was slammed against the wall as she rushed by him and grabbed onto Ryou and twisted him about so his back was to her body. "Malik I wouldn't." Mai warned him as the half Demon was suddenly standing in the doorway with an energy ball in his hand, sparks of electricity ran along the walls and ceiling about him and crackled loudly. "You wouldn't want to hurt the human now, would you?" She tugged at Ryou making sure that he was right in front of her; she made him yelp as she twisted his arm.

Malik could barely stand on his own feet let alone fight against himself to call back the energy… and a fight of magic in a human house, could very well kill everyone inside, Malik couldn't risk it, but he was once again willing to give into his own powers. "Let him go." He growled out as he limped back into the house leaning on the wall and standing a few feet from Yugi.

"What the hell is that?!" Yugi's eyes were on Malik's busted and broken wing, noticing it for the first time since this mess stared.

"He's a half Demon." Mai never taking her eyes off Malik. "He's an _addict._" She hissed out at him disgustedly, Ryou wasn't sure what she meant, was Malik a drug user?

"Yugi came to me." Malik called to him; if he got the human out of the house then he had only one to concentrate on and he didn't want any distractions, he could pull this off, protect Ryou and kill… '_No, no, you can't control yourself, you'll kill him_.' Came that voice of reason from the back of his mind, Malik growled out in frustration, not knowing what to do, he had the power to save Ryou.

"A what?!" Yugi shook his head not moving. "What is going on here?" He demanded to know.

"A Demon, little human, you of all should know what that is considering that you are mated to the Lord of Demons himself." Mai answered him.

"I'm not getting this." Yugi bit his lip running his hands through his hair; Malik took this few minutes to gather up his strength.

"Yami's a Demon and he has wings like Malik." Ryou snapped at him still pinned to Mai's body, his eyes locked onto Malik, he looked horribly injured and bleeding a lot and all Ryou wanted to do was go over to him and help him, patch up his wounds.

"You're all crazy?!" Yugi yelled at them. "You!" He pointed to Malik. "Look like you should be at a Halloween party… and you!" Yugi pointed at Mai. "Should be locked away in a nut house." Mai just laughed at him. "So if Malik's a Demon and Yami's one as well, what dose that make you, the tooth-fairy? Fuck you're crazy lady!" Such words were never heard from the short teen before and Ryou would have been shocked and told him off that it didn't suite him, but the situation they were in, he didn't care.

"Close, hon… a Vampire." Mai smirked, slowly backing up taking Ryou with her.

"Oh a Vampire… YOU ARE CRAZY! There were no such things as Demons or Vampires." Just how delusional was this woman and where had she come from?

"I'm here to protect you from them." Mai said as Malik growled at her making her stop moving. "Yami wants to turn you and by the smell he has already had you." Yugi wasn't sure what to think, it was all too much for him. Mai lifted Ryou's chin up and nibbled on his ear a little, then whispered loud enough for Malik to hear as well. "Lets not forget Bakura, who wants you as his slave, to feed from, to fuck as much as he wants and once you become his mate, there is no getting out of it." Ryou turned his head away from her, not wanting to hear anything she had to say.

"Shut up!" Malik yelled at her then looked at Ryou. "Bakura loves you, you know he does and so do Marik and I."

"I don't lie." She said as if offended. "But how much have you told this cute little human about the Mating Season?" Mai had been following them about long enough to know just what everyone was up to.

"We wouldn't do anything to you, Ryou. Not without your permission." Malik said worried that Ryou was listening to the Vampire, as he was so quiet and still.

"Since when do Demon's ask for permission? The little one over there is marked already." She glanced at Yugi with a criticizing stare. "Tell me my sweet one, did Yami ask you before he marked you?"

"I don't understand." Yugi frowned he had no mark and he wasn't really understanding what they were talking about. He glanced at a silent Ryou hoping he would help him out. "Did you know about this, Ryou? About them?"

"Malik?!" Ryou cried out as the half Demon fell suddenly to his hands and knees, the sparks of electricity had vanished as well.

"Oh the blood loss for a Demon and to bleed out like that is enough to kill him." Mai smirked at seeing her enemy weakened and at her mercy. "I'm surprised you lived this long, Malik… you love the human that much to risk your own life to save him?"

"Let go!" Ryou was struggling more furiously against her.

"Yes!" Malik growled out as he pushed himself up leaning on the wall heavily with his head bowed and his shoulder slumped as he was bent over slightly painting in pain. He was tapping into the last of his energy and he wasn't going to last too much longer on how he was… but if Malik had to he'd die on his feet for Ryou. _'I love you Marik.' _Malik pushed himself off the wall and stood up straight glaring at the Vampire. "I won't lose him again, not to you and certainly not to my Sister." Ryou gasped at seeing the blood drip to the floor and into a puddle under the Demon's feet.

"You're all bloody mad." Yugi pulled on his hair. "He's bleeding to death and you're all standing about, talking?!"

"Shut up!" Malik snapped at him.

"I knew of love once like yours… until Bakura staked him." She hissed out.

"Bakura was protecting me."

"Protection is it?" She laughed at him, Ryou struggled against her testing to see if she had loosened her hold on him, she growled and squeezed his arm making him stop and whimper.

"Don't hurt him!" Malik snapped out and charged in but came to a halt, after a few steps as Mai placed a knife to the human's neck. "Don't!" Malik pleaded holding up a hand to show her he wasn't going to move any closer, his crimson eyes locked onto that blade.

"You call it protection when you murder innocent human fathers?" Ryou twitched in her arms his head rested against her shoulder as he stood still. "Bakura and Marik killed your father?"

"No, they wouldn't have done that!" Ryou whispered out, she pressed the blade into his skin a little more.

"They did, I've been watching." Mai stopped moving as her back lightly hit a wall. "What better way to take a slave that has no family and is slowly been taken away from friends… do you think that three people, three people could love you?" Mai then said a small chant and a round ball of white fog appeared in front of them… the fog swirled and soon cleared and a picture came into focus of Ryou's apartment.

"What is this?" Ryou shook his head as he saw Bakura and Marik standing in his bedroom and Marik, held his father by the arms that were pinned behind his back as Bakura snapped the humans head sharply to the left and stepped back with a sadistic smirk and let him fall to the floor like a rag doll at his feet. "Did you honestly think that they would listen to you, a human?" Mai whispered in his ear.

Ryou fell limp in her arm as the image faded and retuned to its round ball of white fog, though there was no love shared in their, father, son relationship, Ryou did feel a loss at this new turn of events… he was truly parentless and felt tears burn his eyes. "They said they wouldn't kill him."

"Bakura and Marik didn't kill your father, Ryou." Malik said, the two had torture him a little with threats and warnings for him to never to come after Ryou again or ask to see him, but he wasn't going to tell his human that. "Bakura would never go against your word, if he promised you something then Bakura will carry it out no matter what."

"Why do you two persist that I'm lying?" The Vampire growled losing her patience with the Demon and Humans in the room. She turned Ryou about making him face her; it was all in tormenting the Demon first before she took them away. "You are food to them, boy" She hissed at Ryou. "They feed from humans, drinking their blood to stay alive." Mai glanced at the only Demon in the room. "Tell him Malik that you feed from humans."

"He knows already." Malik shook his head as his vision blurred and the room titled on him, he fell against the wall for support feeling his life draining from him more quickly now.

"I don't believe you or anything you have to say!" Ryou snapped at the Vampire, he wasn't going to listen to her anymore. He knew deep down that Bakura and Marik were nothing close to what she was talking about and he knew that Bakura wouldn't have killed his father.

Ryou brought his foot down hard on hers, Mai yelped and let him and at the same time she hit across the face sending to hard to the floor. Malik charged in defending Ryou the best he could. The two spared Mai on the defensive as Malik made a full on assault, the two battled for a short minute, Mai blocking the not so strong blows, Malik swung his fist and missed this time, Mai stepped aside and grabbed hold of Malik's broken wing and twisted and just by force alone Malik was drawn back against her body for a short second, and then she shoved him away.

Malik hit the wall and slid down face first onto the carpet and didn't move, Ryou who had been dazed by the hit rolled onto his side. "Malik?!" He rolled the rest of the way and pushed himself up and crawled over to him on his hands and knees. "Malik!" Ryou gently rolled him onto his side and caressed his cheek while moving in closer. Malik's response was a soft groan as he opened his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Malik." Ignoring the blood on Malik's lips, Ryou lent in and kissed him softly on the lips and whispered against the Demon's lips. "I know that Bakura and Marik wouldn't have done the things she said." Malik smiled.

Mai smirked as she watched them from the other side of the room, as the human wasn't going to leave his so-called beloved Malik behind. She wiped away the blood from her lip, a lucky hit from Malik. "Don't worry sweet one, your Sister will fix Ryou and his lost memories will be returned."

Malik glared at her and his heart had stopped. "You'll kill him." He hissed out and felt Ryou tense up with now wide eyes.

"Well it's also part of the plan your Sister has for herself and it involves your human whether or not he lives, is up to her." She shrugged walking over and grabbing Ryou by the arm and pulled him away from the dieing Demon, Ryou struggled against her tears run down his cheeks at feeling useless in helping Malik and too weak to fight off this Vampire. He couldn't make her let go no matter what so Ryou slapped hard as he could across the cheek.

Mai's head didn't even more, but she growled. "For that, I will kill you… you hear that Malik!" She snapped giving the human a shake. "I'll let every Vampire feed from you and use you as they please until nothing is left of you!"

"Let him go, this is between me and my Sister." Malik growled out still on the floor and it didn't matter how much he tried to stay on his feet or fight against the world spinning about him and losing his sight to darkness of unconsciousness. He hated himself right now in not being able to stop her.

"Alright!" Mai snapped she backhanded Ryou sending him to the floor, his ears were ringing and his head was splitting and his vision was blurred. "You can have him Malik if you can reach him." She stepped back.

_'Come on, he's right there, get on your feet, NOW!'_ Malik dug his nails into the carpet and pulled himself onto his elbows. _'Three feet, he's three feet away.'_ His minds voice screamed at him. _'Get up! Get up! Get up!' _

Ryou rolled onto his side and he could barely make out the Demon, pain pounded in his skull and he felt as if he was going to be sick. "Malik." Ryou reached out a hand for him feeling panicked about the things this Vampire was going to do to him. "I'm right here Malik, just a little more." Ryou whispered out to him.

Yugi was still frozen against the wall not moving as he watched everything unfold before him and it was a short gasp that filled the room as Mai waved a hand and the short teen vanished from the room.

Malik with great effort got to his hands and knees with a pained scream, his wings weighting him down and his broken one hung at the side of his body… _this was taking to long._ Mai thought impatiently tapping her foot.

"Maybe you'll get lucky in the next life, Malik." Mai said smirking, watching as the Demon fell to the ground. "Humans like Ryou are so hard to come by but easily to fall for, am I right?" She started to laugh.

"I'm so sorry Ryou." Malik let out a sob at his own failure in saving his beloved human.

"No Malik!" Ryou struggled against her again. "Malik, it's not your fault you, you're to hurt to fight against anybody."

"You're so sweet, Ryou." Mai purred. "But, it's time to go!" She tugged at him, Ryou pulled against her saying over his shoulder.

"Though I didn't get the chance to say it!" Ryou got away from her for a second and fell to his knees beside Malik, cupping his face in both his hands. "Tell Bakura I love him and Marik too."

"Come on." Mai grabbed him and yanked him away.

"I love you, Malik, and this isn't your fault." Mai and Ryou disappeared from the room as Malik had used the last of his strength and lunged at her but fell to the floor.

"RYOU!" Malik screamed out as if it would bring him back and he hit the floor with his injured hand ignoring the pain that shot up his arm, he had lost Ryou. Not again he couldn't relive Ryou's death all over, he didn't have it in him… his whole body soon shook with the effort as he sobbed into the carpet, but they softened quickly coming to a stop as did his breathing and heartbeat.

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**TBC **

Oh, boy! You have no idea on how hard that was for me to write out, damn writers melt down! **R&R **(Love and Cookies)


	30. Chapter 30

I broke through my writers melt down. YAY! For me… hope you enjoy.

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, Suicide themes in this chap, so if you don't like then do not read… Disclaimer: … '_I own nothing_!'

**Chap 30**

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Bakura landed heavily in an alleyway, his large black wings gave one last ruffle and flap before vanishing out of view. He moved deeper in, his shadows leading him in the right direction, and soon he picked up the scent of blood and with it a chill ran down his spine making him shiver.

He stopped at seeing the city's rats gathered about in front of him, eating something? Bakura growled at them and gathered his dark powers in his hand and threw it at them. The rats that were still alive squeaked loudly and scurried off to safety. It was then Bakura saw what it was that had drawn them out, a large puddle of blood mixed with water.

Bakura turned his narrowed crimson eyes to the smudged blood across the dirty cement leading to a nearby dumpster, someone was dragged and dumped. Bakura followed it and stopped again. He bent down plucking up a rag of clothing that hung in the breeze and was snagged on the edge of the dumpster, it looked similar to… He brought the cloth to his lips and ran his tongue briefly over the cloth. Since being a Demon any diseases known to the human world would never have any effect on him. He spat it out of his mouth. "Malik." He growled out, standing swiftly and looking about. "MALIK!" He called out looking about desperately for any sight of the other, hoping his lover was here; with this mush blood loss the half Demon wouldn't been able to go far on his own and most likely unconscious somewhere and dieing.

This was Ishizu's doing, that bitch! Bakura dropped the rag with another growl, first Marik and now Malik… Bakura knew the half Demon wasn't battle ready and being an _addict _like Malik is, it was too dangerous for him to fight against anything from the Demon Realm.

Malik wasn't here; he had been, but not anymore. Bakura followed the trail of blood back out into the not so busy street. He found another pool of blood where Malik had stopped, maybe for rest; he wasn't sure and then moved on.

Either way, Bakura needed help in finding Malik now and he needed the Healer as well… Fuck! Marik was going to have a fit when he found out what was going on as he had just left the mansion without a single word. Bakura took to the air again and flew off into the night.

* * *

Yami landed outside the game shop his wings vanished from view, his night was looking up, Yugi was home alone as his Grandpa was out and Ryou was with Bakura, Marik and Malik. He had been looking forward to this all day after all the pointless meetings in the Demon Realm. Being a Lord could take its toll on him at times and he was now glad that he could come back into the human Realm and have someone waiting for him. He was looking forward to tonight, he walked around the corner of the house and froze at seeing the front door smashed down and bits of wood lay about the front yard with traces of blood… Yami's blood ran cold at the thought of something happening to his human. "Yugi!" Yami rushed to the door and into the house.

The Demon Lord recoiled back a little, at the stronger smell of blood, his mind raced as his heart pounded in his chest. "YUGI!" He called out louder, hoping it wasn't his Human's blood that he could smell; he continued his rush inside, not caring what dangers awaited.

Yami headed for the stairs passing the living room and stopping in his tracks as something got his eye in the living room, in the center of the room, it was a foot. Yami turned and rushed for the room and was in such a blind hurry, that he slipped in the blood on the floor and fell onto the doorframe heavily. His shoulder made a loud popping and crunching sound as he fell into the room face first on the tan carpet.

Not fazed at all by the pain that shot through his now dislocated shoulder, he glanced up quickly looking for Yugi. His eyes widened at seeing Malik instead, laying face first on the ground, his wings lay oddly over his body. Yami pushed himself up and snapped his shoulder back into place with a pained grunt and crawled over, pushing Malik onto his side looking him over. "Malik?!" Yami shouted at him giving him a small shake, what had happened to him? Yami glanced about seeing the smudges of blood on the wall and pooled on the floor, had all this blood come from the half Demon? If so, Malik was most likely… _dead._

Old tears that were trapped fell from Malik's closed eyes but nothing more happened, Yami pushed the other onto his back slowly and lent his ear on his chest and found no beating heart. Damn it! Was it some kind of an attack? Where the hell was Yugi? Though very worried on what happened to his Human, Yami had to help Malik first. "Fuck!" Yami hissed in frustration as he ripped the skin open on his wrist with his fang, blood flowed instantly. "Don't you dare die!" He placed his wrist against Malik's lips, and then opened and closed his hand to pump the blood out better.

Yami watched as his blood ran from Malik's lips after it had filled up his mouth, only to run out down his cheeks, chin and neck, some of it ran into his hair, nothing was swallowed down.

Yami pulled his wrist away and licked it, the small wound started to close up almost instantly. Yami placed his hands on Malik's forehead and chest. Every Demon had the ability to heal another, it wasn't as strong as the ones that practiced the Healing skill and doing this would leave the Demon Lord weak and dizzy, but hopefully it would save the half Demon. "Come on Malik!" Yami pleaded softly, as he called on his powers, but was he really doing it for Marik and Bakura's sake or his own in finding out what happened to Yugi?

A soft burst of energy was shot through Malik's body followed by a few more that would start his heart and bring him back out of hibernation that he had slipped into. The room spun, tilted and darkened on him and Yami pulled away looking the half Demon in the face… suddenly Malik's eyes opened and he gasped out. "Malik?" Yami said and was now leaning over him in his line of vision, relieved that he was okay.

Yami frowned worriedly as Malik couldn't seem to get his breath, his chest heaved up again but no air came fourth and he looked sickly pale with a gray undertone to his normally tanned skin.

"It's okay, you'll be healed properly." Yami gave him little reassurance that he would be okay and he doubted that the half Demon heard him, damn it he was half dead.

Yami lent in to hear him as Malik was mumbling something and tears rolled out from his eyes and into his hair. "… Mai." Yami heard the name and watched as Malik gave a final gasp and then… nothing. Yami stared into lavender eyes as they dilated and fixed on something Yami couldn't see, his whole body was limp and lifeless.

"Malik!" Yami panicked and placed his hands again on Malik's forehead and chest and used his powers again. Each burst of energy shot through Malik and shook his body almost off the ground. Had Mai the Vampire been the one responsible for all of this? If she was, Yami was going to rip her limb from limb with his bare hands if she so much as harmed Yugi in anyway.

Yami soon fell away from the other panting and exhausted, his own energy tapped-out, as Malik just wasn't responding to anything he did. "Sorry Malik… I tried." Yami whispered out to his dead clan member as he fell unconscious next to the half Demon.

* * *

Bakura headed back to Ryou's place to see if Malik had shown up there looking for help, he was also planning on taking his Human back to the mansion. If Malik wasn't there then he would then continue his search once Ryou was in the safety of the mansion. It was the angry low voices below him in the park that got his attention. "I just don't see where this is my fault!?" Seto growled out angrily.

Wait? Seto?! Bakura landed seeing the Healer out here in the middle of the park came as a little bit of a shock… what about Marik?

"You don't see?!" A Human yelled back upset at Seto.

Bakura raised an eyebrow and had yet to be noticed by the bickering two. He would give them a few minutes before interrupting them as the two looked rather serious and Bakura didn't think that he would get the Healers attention anyway, other then being told to get lost.

"You used me!" The Human hit the Healer on the chest with his hand. "Thinking that I have no feelings or wouldn't mind what you did to me… I DO MIND SETO, A LOT!" The Human raged at him tears falling and it didn't affect the Healer in anyway.

Bakura was a little surprised to find the Healer arguing with a Human of all things. Seto was never the one to mingle with such _'lower life forms'_ as he so often called them. Often Seto had some Demon crying over him, as the cold-hearted Healer would use them in anyway for what he wanted and simply walk away, leaving so many brokenhearted in his wake.

"If I had known I wouldn't have bothered with a mangy mutt like you." Seto snapped back crossing his arms over his chest, his voice just as cold as the chill in the night air and it cut through like a sharp knife.

Bakura had seen this many times before, true the Healer came off as such a bastard, but when he did get close to someone or have feeling for them. The Healer would back himself off into a corner and take it as an attack against himself and retaliate by doing what he was doing now, pushing everyone away that remotely cared for him… it was all thanks to Yami.

"Maybe if you weren't so caught up in _yourself _that you could see past your own insecurities and see me for what I really am and not some, dog! That you always like to call me!" The Human snapped again.

Life wasn't just about healing their clan and severing Yami.Bakura sighed at seeing the Human's sad pitiful look and yet it reminded him so much of his Ryou, who had often had the same look at times. The Healer worked to hard and spent too much time alone and it was getting to Seto in the worst possible way, Bakura saw it every day.

"Next time I'll just leave you on your own to defend yourself against the freaks of the night!" Seto straightened himself up more and gave Joey a cold hard stare.

"I was always on my own, you were just a time filler and nothing more then… then." Both Demon's saw how hard the Human was trying to put up a front and trying to make it look as though he wasn't hurt or cared or affected by the conversation… the Human was falling to peaces before them, Seto had that effect on everyone he used. "You're nothing!" The Human shouted at him and suddenly turned and ran off.

'_Don't leave!'_ Seto's mind screamed out at him and urged the Demon go after his half marked Mate. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach as he just stood there and watched, this was so much harder then he thought. Why did he feel so crappy when he saw Joey in such away?

"Seto." Bakura walked up to him, he had wasted a few minutes watching the two and couldn't wait any longer or waste more time by standing about waiting for Seto to fix whatever was going on with this _Human,_ as interesting as it was right now, it would have to wait for a better time to torment the Healer about it.

"What do you want?" Seto snapped out irritated at being interrupted and the pale Demon spying on him. Yes, he noticed the second Bakura landed not more then six foot away from him. His back still faced Bakura, it was his polite way of telling the pale Demon to _fuck off _and _leave him alone._

"Malik is injured and missing." Bakura waited, Seto's shoulders had been slumped the whole time, he straightened up and he turned around facing the other. "What happened to Marik?" Bakura asked, noticing the change in the other.

"Marik's fine now as well as his sight." Seto said in his usual business tone as if nothing had happened. Seto would never know just how relieved Bakura was to hear those few words. "Lead the way, I'll help you find Malik."

Maybe Bakura would thank him after all this was over. "I'm heading to Ryou's place, Malik maybe there." Bakura thought on going and getting Marik, as he would have better luck in finding his Mate then Bakura ever could, but the tanned Demon would be resting after being in so much pain.

A little later, Seto and Bakura landed in the front yard of the game-shop, he was the first to notice the broken bits of the door in front of him and rushed inside. "Ryou! Malik!" Bakura called out stopping in the doorway when he noticed the smell and the blood on the floor; did this mean that Malik was here?

"Malik!" Bakura called out as he continued the rest of the way into the house, stopping at the living room door, his voice hitched in his throat, as did his breath. Bakura ran over falling to his knees. "Malik?!" There was so much blood and his wing was injured, Bakura trembled and with a shaking hand he grabbed hold of Malik's bloody chin and turned his face towards him. "Malik?" He shook his head as his dark eyes fixed onto the open and tear shiny eyes of his lover. "Seto!" Bakura called out and then noticed Yami laying next to them, but he seemed uninjured and just unconscious.

Bakura checked for a pulse on Malik but didn't find one; he placed his ear to his chest and couldn't hear anything.

"Move." Seto commanded as he quickly looked over Yami and indeed he was fine, he then turned to Malik.

"He's not breathing." Bakura moved to the other side careful of his lover's wings, taking Malik's hand in his. "There is no heartbeat." He told the Healer and in away telling him to hurry up and heal his lover.

Seto placed his hands over Malik's forehead and chest and closed his eyes to concentrate; there was nothing, no breath, no heartbeat, and with the state that Malik was in, there was no point in trying to heal him now. Seto's powers were drawn to the broken wing and he had to force his powers into the body and focus on other parts that needed to be healed, which meant that Malik was already…

"Is he…" Bakura's body wouldn't stop shaking and tears filled his dark brown eyes at seeing Seto pull away from Malik with a look that made Bakura's tears fall free.

Seto just nodded his head, saying softly… "He's to far gone, he's lost too much blood, his body isn't taking my heals."

"Damn it!" Bakura hissed, suddenly angry with the Healer as his tears slipped one by one down his cheeks. "You didn't even try!" The pale Demon raged at him grabbing him by the front of his shirt and pulling him forward over Malik's still body. "Heal him, bring him back to me!" There was a deadly threat behind his words and it reflected in the dark depths of his eyes.

"I-I can't!" Seto shot back with a shake of his head as he pushed Bakura away from him. "He went into hibernation and you know what happens after that." Seto sighed he wished he could do more for them. "He's dead, Bakura… Malik's been for a while." Suddenly Seto was ripped up to his feet and shoved away by Marik as he knelt down beside his mate.

"He's dead!" Seto had stumbled but not fallen and he watched the two as they sat beside their fallen lover and Mate.

Marik was here! Bakura head spun with the thought of the tanned Demon, who would now make this nightmare stop. "Marik, he can't be gone." Bakura couldn't stop himself from the sobs that shook his body almost weeping over Malik's still body, silently begging to whatever god was out there to bring him back…

Marik turned Malik's face towards him an expression on Marik's face that Bakura had only seen once before and only once. "Malik." Marik whispered and the way he had said sounded so affectionate and sad to see his mate in such a way. He then leant down placing a soft kiss to Malik's bloody lips. "Hold on my love." He then placed his ear against Malik's bare chest listening and closing his eyes. Malik wasn't dead, not yet anyway, they had been together to long for Malik to go out in such away… no they were all meant to be together and Marik be damned if he would just walk away and accept it. Marik growled softly as tears of his own gathered and fell one by one onto Malik's still chest at hearing nothing but the silence of death.

Marik lent up and whispered something into Malik's ear for a few short seconds and then placed his ear back onto Malik's chest and said in a surprisingly soft voice. "Just one, all I need is just one, come on Malik."

Bakura watched silently his fingers entwined with Marik and Malik's as he waited to see what Marik was going to do. Thoughts of not seeing Malik or hear his voice ever again was just as bad as when Ishizu had told him that Marik had died, it was unbearable and the world around him was suffocating, why did his loved ones have to suffer so for just a little bit of happiness in their lives?

Seto watched he knew what Marik was trying to do and it was a long shot, a very long one… but he would let them try if it would make them feel better and except that the one they loved had fallen from life.

Marik sat there for a long while his head rested against Malik's chest in hope, Bakura had gone quiet and was holding Marik's hand as well as Malik's. "Marik?" Bakura's voice was strained from crying and his eyes red from tears that were still falling. "Marik, lets take him home." Bakura whispered, he could no longer sit here seeing Malik like this or Marik for that matter.

Marik didn't move at all when he suddenly shot a large burst of energy into Malik's body at the same time as his very faint beat of his heart. Bakura gasped as he felt his energy being pulled from him by Marik. "He's alive." Marik shot another two into Malik's body in time with the heartbeats, pulling some of that energy from Bakura. Marik listened to the irregular and weak heartbeats within his mate. Marik pulled away relieved that his mate was okay; Seto knelt down beside him and continued the healing in bringing Malik back to life.

Both Demons smiled at hearing the gasp of air being pulled in from Malik as he started to breathe again, but he still remained unconscious. "Bakura?" Marik said softly getting his attention and gave him a smile; the pale Demon glanced up getting to his feet and walked over, Marik rose up swiftly to his own feet and wrapped his arms about the other and pulled him into a tight hug. "He's fine." He reassured Bakura and himself.

Yami sat up holding his head with a pained moan. "Malik!" He glanced about to see Seto leaning over the half Demon and Bakura in Marik's arms.

"We have to get him back now, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done on him." Seto said standing up and glancing down at Yami. "We are going to need blood packs." Yami got to his feet with a nod of his head; he could get them once the world stopped spinning. "You healed him?" Seto asked noticing Yami's state, the Demon Lord nodded his head yes. "You may have very well saved his life today." Seto smirked; it wasn't like Yami to place himself in the line of pain for someone else let alone save them.

"He saved Malik?!" Marik asked with a frown as he wiped at his face with the back of his hand freeing his face from all the tears.

"If Yami hadn't of tried to heal Malik, there would have been no chance in you picking up that heartbeat in the final stages of hibernation." Any heartbeat in a Demon that had gone into hibernation was a long shot and it was why so many died in the deep sleep.

Yami gasped as he was pulled up to his feet suddenly and embraced by Marik, as shocking as it was that the tanned Demon had never willing touched anyone other then Bakura, Malik and Ryou, Yami wasn't sure what to do or to think. "Thank you." Marik whispered to him.

"Ahhh, yeah, sure any time." Yami was stunned at the grateful gesture, even after when Marik pulled away.

"Ryou!" Bakura gasped wanting to kick himself for forgetting his human for a time while he saw to Malik and Marik.

"Malik said something about Mai." Yami said sitting on the coffee table with his head in his hands trying to make the room stop spinning.

Bakura ran out of the room calling out Ryou's name as he searched the house from top to bottom and came up with nothing. "He's not here." Bakura said worriedly.

"Lets get Malik home and we'll work out what to do from there." Bakura reluctantly agreed too going back. "We'll find Ryou and make everyone involved pay for what they have done to us." Marik growled as he bent down and picked up his Mate's still limp body, Seto helped Yami and they all headed back to the mansion.

* * *

Later that night, Joey kicked open the front door to his apartment, why was Seto such a jerk?! All he wanted was for the male to be just a little nicer to him. Was it imposable for anyone to love him for who he was? Seto being a Demon of all things had thought so on the way he treated him… He locked the door behind him; tears burnt his eyes as he looked about his apartment, no one to come home to, to ask him how his day went or even to cuddle up with on the couch.

Joey headed for the bathroom, he was cold from being outside with such flimsy's clothing on as it had been a warm day. He didn't feel the chill nor saw the blue shade to his lips as he passed the mirror to turn on the water.

Joey walked out and headed to his bedroom to get his clothes, coming back out a few minutes later and spotted the bright red button flashing on the answering machine. Joey wiped at his eyes and pressed the button_. 'Joey…'_ It was his mother, what could she possibly want? _'Call me as soon as you get home we have to talk, urgently.'_ It then beeped as she hung up.

Joey sniffled as he dialed the number; he needed someone, anyone to make him feel better about himself and who better then his own mother? He waited as it rang out and finally someone picked up. "Mom?" Joey said instantly not wanting to hear the official prattle that was always given when she answered the phone.

'_Joey I called you today and you weren't home.'_ She sounded irritated but that was nothing new.

"Listen mom." Joey lent his back against the wall and slid to the floor holding back his tears as he pulled his knees to his chest. "I made a mistake and I was wondering if I could come home for a while." He wanted to get away so he didn't have to do those accidental running into or having Seto come after him like he did tonight… Joey needed an escape.

'_I'd say you did something stupid!'_ She huffed on the other end. _'Mr. Kaiba pulled out on all his deals with us.'_ Joey tensed it wouldn't matter how far he ran, Kaiba would somehow follow him, no he couldn't think like that.

"Mom, please let me come home even if it's only for a few weeks, I need to see you guys." Tears fell and Joey wiped at them and tried to keep his voice even. He truly felt alone and more depressed then he could ever remember and feeling foolish at that, that he had fallen in love with a bastard that would rather take the sex then have a good relationship.

'_Joey we have made a decision… your father and I.'_ Joey gripped the phone cord in his hand. _'We are sending you notice to leave the apartment, you'll have a week to vacate it. We have also given you enough to get started with your own place and pay up for the rest of the year at your school.' _

"You're disowning me?!" Joey's eyes widened disbelieving what he was hearing. "You can't do that to me! You're my mother!" He yelled down the phone line.

'_She was my daughter and I left her in your care and look what happened to her?'_ There was a long pause, his heart could not have been more torn up then what it was, and he now had nobody left in the world save a few friends. _'I just can't do it anymore, I blame you though I have tried not too… I don't want to see you again.'_ The silence was almost deafening for him and he could hear his own blood rushing in his ears. _'We don't want to see you again.' _The line went dead, Joey knew it was all her doing, it was her that didn't want to see him as his father spent all his time in his work and never at home. Joey numbly got up and headed for the bathroom again.

Stripping from his clothing and leaving it all on the floor at his feet and stepped into the warm water, his cold skin tingled instantly and felt like it was burning him. _'You are alone Joey. You really honestly thought that I could love a slave or the likes of you?' Seto snorted. 'Please, you were good for the sex and that was it.'_

Joey groaned as Seto's voice rang in his mind of passed conversations._ 'I have no idea where you got the delusion that I would… love someone like you.'_

"Shut up! Shut up!" Joey pulled on his hair as he sank to the bottom of the shower to his knees and found the voices had gone quiet.

Was all this because of Seto rejecting him? He just couldn't get over how strongly he felt towards Seto in such a short time, was it because of the mated mark? Was it all its doing that he felt this way? "_You are on your own! You got your sister killed, so you could hang with your friends a little longer."_ A spiteful voice made itself know, or was it his own thoughts that he had bottled up over the years? _"No wonder you couldn't make Kaiba love you, you're pathetic."_ He closed his eyes as tears fell mixing with the water.

He knew he had fallen hard for the tall brunette, but Seto hated him as did his own parents. Joey went to pull himself up to get out and go to bed. His hand gripped the edge and his other landed on something sharp and cut his finger, Joey yelped and placed it into his mouth.

He pulled down a razor and suddenly before he knew it he had brought it down to his wrist, and cut across deep enough to make the blood gush out… maybe he should leave a note to Yugi and Ryou, so that they would understand and not feel to saddened over him… then again they had their own lives and he doubted that he would be missed… _"They wouldn't understand. But the pain feels so good, doesn't it?"_ His mind purred at him.

His hand started to shake, he had never done anything like this before, it had never crossed his mind to hurt himself like this and take a sick pleasure in it and he still did the same to the other wrist. He slumped to the bottom of the shower dropping the razor as it hit the bottom it made a clinking sound as it moved about before coming to stop near the drain. "_This is fucked up." _He thought and laughter bubbled up from Joey's chest but there was no amusement to the sound only sorrow as his life flooded away with the water.

* * *

**TBC **

I wanted to keep some of it the same but a little more improved, anyway, leave a **Review** and let me know what you thought. (Love and Cookis)


	31. Chapter 31

Ummmm, was thinking the other day as I was re-reading Demons of the Night _again _and I think I'll go and re-write it. I could do so much better with it, but I haven't really made up my mind as of yet, but I might do it after I have finished a few others first… what can I say, I can't help myself when I comes to writing, so enjoy.

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, so if you don't like then do not read… **Disclaimer:** … '_I own nothing_!'

**Chapter 31**

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Ishizu glanced up with a smirk of anticipation as Mai entered the room with Ryou in her clutches. "Let go!" Ryou yelled and struggled to get free of the Vampire. Mai shoved him a little nothing really behind it and Ryou fell to the floor before her Mistress. The room had no windows and was roundly made out of rock, it held a bed, a fur rug in the centre of the floor and candles placed about the room on every flat surface as well as the live fire, Ishizu had been sitting in front of it as this place held a chill to it.

Ryou landed heavily on his hands and knees and glared up at the Witch and recognized her instantly as Malik's Sister. "As where you should be Slave." Ishizu brought her foot up placing it on Ryou's shoulder and pushed him over onto his back, the Human yelped at the force used on him.

"Found the boy alone at the house that Yami so regularly visits." Mai said with her hands on her hips.

"What of the other Humans?" The Witch stood up from her chair, clad in her black leather of vest, boots and pants with a white undershirt and a range of weaponry hung from her waist.

"I only found two, the Healer doesn't have a Human _interest_ as of yet or that I know of… his very secretive with his life." Mai watched as Ryou got back up to his knees rubbing at his shoulder to rid it of the slight pain. "The short one is out like a light in our _guest_ room." Her tone told Ryou that the room wasn't what she made it out to be or sound, _poor Yugi_. Ryou thought and hoped his friend was doing better then he was.

"Once Bakura gets here you're in a shit load of trouble." Ryou snapped at her with a low voice. Though he has only known Bakura for a short time. Ryou had seen the temper the Demon had and it was an almost uncontrollable rage towards Honda, being kidnapped by this woman Ryou knew she had just sighed her death warrant.

"Shut up!" Mai grabbed him and pulled him up to his feet and was about to deliver a good backhand to his face for speaking out of turn, Ryou flinched a little ready for the blow.

"Wait!" Ishizu held up a hand stopping her, Ryou defiantly glared at the Vampire daring her to hit him, Mai struggled with herself to obey her Mistress and soon lowered her hand. "Can't have him to injured." Ishizu smirked.

Ryou growled and pulled himself away from the Vampire, knowing that he didn't have the strength to match her. "Tell me what do you want with me?" He demanded to know facing Ishizu, if he was going to die here, then he wanted to know the reasons why.

"Only you can give me what I want." Ishizu was tall and Ryou had to look up at her but she wasn't as tall as Bakura or Marik and she was a very pretty woman, she was a very pretty dead woman. "You were entrusted with the secret."

"What is that?" Ryou stood his ground as the Witch raised his chin with a hurtful grasp.

"A key." Ishizu looked to be in deep thought for a second and whispered. "I need a location and once I have it, I'll have complete control." Ryou gave her a confused look. "Bring in Keith and get my bag, we'll make a start." She snapped; Ryou glanced back as Mai bowed and swiftly left the room without a sound, the heavy door shut behind him leaving him alone with Malik's Sister.

Ryou glanced back at the Witch as she moved away from him and sat back down in the large red chair. "Why are you doing this?" Ryou asked her firmly, glancing at the door over his shoulder, _how far would I get if I just ran? No Yugi's here somewhere. _Ryou bit his lip. He could escape and lead the Demons to this place, and once Ryou worked out where this was exactly.

"Because I can." Was her reply, Ryou wasn't satisfied with that.

"Just because you can it doesn't make it right?!"

"What would you know, Human?!" Ishizu growled at him as she rose to her feet once again and faced him with such a hatred look that Ryou took a step back. "I have been at war for centuries and I'm still at war." She lent on the back of her chair regarding him with a sneer. "Even you precious Bakura is at war… So what I do is for the grater good to survive."

"What you do is for you, don't you mean." Ryou watched her every move, he knew he was making her angry. Damn it, he was angry too, for what she did to Malik or have done to him, either why she was responsible, that much he knew.

Ishizu had moved so fast and slapped Ryou across the face and he stumbled backwards holding his cheek and shakily fell to his knees as the room spun about him and darkened for a minute, she was strong. "You will not speak again."

"No!" Ryou brushed it off with a shake of his head and got up defiantly still glaring hard at her as he lowered his hand from his face. "You sent that Vampire into kidnap me and Yugi! But worst of all you wretched woman you ordered someone to hurt Malik."

"I'm the one that hurt Malik." She grinned at him in a rather sadistic way as if she had taken pleasure in knowing this little fact. Ryou wanted to rip her head off with his own hands. "Mai just made sure that Malik turned up at the right place as a decoy." Ryou growled as he lunged at her and the two ended up on the floor in a small struggle.

"How could you do that?!" Ryou delivered one good hit and he was suddenly ripped off her and onto his feet as Mai rushed forward to Ishizu and helped her back up.

"You have quite an arm for an insufferable little whelp." Said the Witch wiping away a little blood from her lip. "What Marik and Bakura see in you, I'll never know… My bag!" Mai pulled it off her shoulder and handed it over.

Ryou was pulled and forced onto the nearby bed on his back. "Get off!" Ryou gasped out and struggled as a heavy weight had settled on him and pinned him down. His arms tucked tightly to his sides as two large hands pinned his shoulders as his waist was sat on, he couldn't move.

"It'll be over in a minute." His voice may have been soft but his grip was fair from it, which Ryou's hands were going numb and he couldn't breathe. "The names Keith by the way. The oldest and Master of this little colony of Vampires." He grinned down at the trapped Human under him; his off blonde hair hung in his blue eyes messily and his face had stubble all over like a five o'clock shadow, Ryou took an instant disliking towards this guy.

"You're going to be the good and obedient little whore you are and drink this." Ishizu held up a small bottle.

"No!" Ryou struggled again not wanting to be drugged or poisoned, who knew what was held in the vial. Ryou cried out as his right wrist was twisted awkwardly.

"I'll break it!" Keith hissed having a little trouble holding Ryou down.

Ryou stilled glancing up at the Witch as she sat on the bed next to his head and moved some of his white hair from his eyes. "It's going to wake your soul up, so I can talk to it."

"What?" Ryou was confused, she was crazy and most likely insane and she might have drank a few too many of her own potions. Ryou's face was forced back by Mai and his mouth forced open by her squeezing his cheeks in hard and holding his nose. The thick purple-goo was poured into his mouth. Ryou gagged on it as soon as it was in his mouth.

He had never tasted anything like it before and he was going to throw it back up along with everything else he had eaten that day. He refused to swallow it, as it was disgusting. Ryou spat it out at her, getting some of it on Mai and Ishizu, both women gasped in slight shock, as it was unexpected. Keith elbowed Ryou in the stomach knocking the air out of him and his mouth was once again forced open. Ryou struggled again to get free and the goo was back in his mouth again. Ishizu chanted a few words as Mai grabbed his nose and placed her hand over his mouth and jaw to keep it closed.

Ryou had no choice but to swallow it down, after he had though, Mai let him go to cough and gasp for air, Keith got up also. "Good boy." Ishizu purred as Ryou rolled onto his side and slumped on the bed's edge and tried to get the stuff out of his mouth. "It'll take a little while… so." The Witch got up off the bed. "Keith drain him of his blood to unconsciousness and place him in his cell with the other one." The Witch ordered with a smirk. "It's going to take a little bit and I don't want him throwing it back up before it has a chance to take effect."

The male Vampire grinned as his fangs lengthened and his eyes shone crimson as he sank them into Ryou's soft skin of his neck. Ryou gasped out as tears of pain fell, his arms were freed and he clutched onto the other and tried to pull him off.

* * *

Yugi sat in a room or was it a dungeon of some kind? With it's solid rock walls and no windows at all and a wooden door with bars in it, there was a bed he was leaning against and the room at the other ended vanished into the shadows and Yugi couldn't tell just how big this room was.

Yugi jumped to his feet with a yelp as something touched his hand and saw a rat scurry away into the darkness, where the hell was he? And who was that woman that had barged into his home? What the hell were they talking about? Yugi pulled his hair and placed blame on Ryou's new friends or boyfriends and more pointedly, Malik. Yes Malik, was to blame. He knew what she was talking about as did Ryou. Yugi sighed as he sat down on the bed heavily and hoped his friend was doing better then he was, just so Yugi could ring his neck later and demand answers.

A soft whisper came from within the darkness on the other side of the room. "The Dead, the Dead don't fall. They multiply, no breeding, no breeding, just multiply. Thousands, thousands of Dead…. Hungry always hungry, they starve."

"He-hello?" Yugi called out and the rambling whispered voice stopped for a second.

"They eat from me, teeth like needles, they starve for blood. My blood." There was a whimper and a suppressed sob.

Yugi wasn't sure what to do and all he knew was that he needed a way out of here, so he tried again to get its attention. "Do you know a way out?" He called out softly and found himself moving towards the soft whisper.

A loud whale of a sob came and it made Yugi jump back. "I'm just a little girl with no way out… there is no way out not even in the darkness."

Was it talking to him or itself? "Please I wish to know?" He asked again. Was it kept prisoner like himself as well?

"The Dead, you have to be the Dead." As Yugi got closer all the flamed torches sparked all around the room and lit everything up. Yugi blinked a few times from being in the dark for so long, he rubbed at his eyes as they watered and stung a little. Blinking a few more times and now he could see that it was a girl a little younger looking then himself. She had long light brown hair and wearing hardly anything at all, just bits of cloth that covered her more private areas, just barely at that. Her body was lined with bit marks all down her arms, neck, belly, chest and legs.

She was huddled to the wall very closely and picking at the loose rocks. "Do you know where we are?" Yugi knelt down and was weary of her and didn't get to close.

"With the Dead." She mumbled then started to rock herself back and forth and then stopped. "Lost count of years, mouths and days." She mumbled. "All gone and no one came for me, no one looks for the Dead."

"Do you have a name?" Yugi asked trying to get a better look at her and what was all this Dead stuff she kept mentioning.

"Forgot it." She said still picking at the wall with her equally dirty hands.

The door flew open and someone was dropped onto the floor and the door closed again just as quickly. Yugi got up and walked over not noticing the girl getting up and following him. "Ryou!" Yugi recognized him as he knelt down beside him.

"The Dead aren't starving anymore." She mumbled from over Yugi's shoulder looking over the unconscious person with interest.

"Be quite!" Yugi snapped at her. "Ryou wake up!" He tried shaking his shoulder and tapping his cheek, nothing happened. "Help me move him to the bed." Yugi ordered her, even though she seemed a little out of her mind, she still understood and helped him to move Ryou to the bed.

Once Ryou was on the bed Yugi sat down and glanced up at the girl. "Thank…" He got a good look at her face and his eyes widened as he gasped out. "Serenity?" Yugi knew that face anywhere as he helped Joey do up all those missing posters of his sister.

"No name, no name." She shook her head. "Kitten, everyone calls me Kitten." Yugi stood up and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"You're Serenity, you're Joey's little Sister and I'm Yugi. Do you know how long we have been looking for you?" She looked confused glancing about as if she had done something wrong. "You should remember me? I used to walk home with you every day after school with Joey and we always took you to the park."

"No, no." She said as she sat down on the bed. "I only remember Master." Yugi sighed sadly maybe whoever kidnapped her had traumatized her so bad that she was… well the train wreck that was before him, a shell of what was once a Sister to his best friend. Once Yugi found a way out he would take her with him and help Joey get her into the right care.

"I-I, don't feel so good." Ryou moaned out as he rolled onto his side and pulled himself into ball and trembled, as he felt so cold and his limbs were so heavy. Yugi could only watch, there was nothing he could do to help him in feeling better.

"I'm sure it'll pass soon." Yugi said as he sat down on the bed next to his friend.

"Where are we?" Ryou asked glancing at him as just lay there trying to push down the sick feeling.

"I have no idea." Yugi sighed sadly and he wished he knew, Serenity sat down on the floor watching them. "But I did find Joey's Sister." What was the point if no one knew where they were.

"No you found me." She corrected him; Yugi gave her a look, had he not just said that? At least she wasn't talking nonsense anymore and seemed calmer now.

"So you did." Ryou mumbled looking her over, well what he could see of her, wait he knew why he was feeling sick, he didn't need to suppress it but get it out of him. Ryou pulled himself up and off the bed, falling onto his side on the floor heavily.

"What are you doing?!" Yugi yelled out surprised as he went to help Ryou get up and back onto the bed.

Serenity jumped out of the way as Ryou pushed Yugi away from him and crawled, passing her and to the other side of the room, shoving his fingers down his throat to throw up the goo.

Yugi paled and placed his hands over his ears blocking out the sound in fear that he too would be joining Ryou if he listened to that. Ryou moved back a little panting as his body now ached all over and clasped onto the floor. Yugi rushed over, and once again he and Serenity moved Ryou back onto the bed. "I have water." She said as she rushed away.

"I want Bakura." Ryou mumbled and couldn't think of anyone else but the pale Demon. A slight pain started in his chest and stomach; once again he pulled himself into a ball on his side. He knew if he was with them, then Bakura and Marik would know just what to do to make him feel better.

Serenity came back with a large cup of clean water and handed it to Yugi. He helped Ryou take a drink and used the rest of the water to wet a bit of cloth from the bed and placed it on Ryou's forehead. They watched as Ryou fell unconscious again and Yugi was hoping for a way to escape this place together.

* * *

Marik glanced up and over to Bakura, who was sitting in a chair with his head bowed, arms crossed over his chest and even his feet were crossed over each other at the ankles and he was fast asleep and had been for a few hours now. Marik didn't have the heart to wake him and tell him to go and lay down elsewhere that would be more comfortable for him to sleep. Bakura had exhausted himself, looking for him and attacking Ishizu and then out looking for Malik, his lover hadn't slept in over two days. Marik also knew that Bakura wouldn't do anything until he knew that he and Malik were alright, even though Bakura would be fighting with himself to leave and kill everyone that was involved with Ryou going missing.

Marik moved forward a little in his seat letting go of Malik's hand for the first time since getting him back here. Seto had fixed all wounds and placed about four packs of blood back into the half Demon's body via IV and the Healer soon left afterwards. Seto had told them that it was now all up to Malik.

Bakura and himself were waiting for Malik to wake up; Marik lent forward even more and whispered in their Demonic language into Malik's ear, words of love and encouragement for him to wake up. Marik knew all to well that Malik wouldn't understand what he was saying. Bakura on the other hand had heard every word spoken. "He knows Marik and he feels the same way." Said Bakura as he opened his eyes glancing at the tanned Demon. Malik could speak about five different languages fluently, but their Demonic language he could never quite understand.

"I just hate seeing him like this and having no one to kill for it." Marik growled changing back to the human dialect as he moved back a little.

"We'll have someone to kill for this." Bakura growled he had one person in mind and it was the Witch… when he got his hands on that woman there would be nothing left of her.

Marik wasn't sure on how Malik would take it about them killing his Sister. The Witch had crossed to far over the line for them to ignore it this time round. Marik almost lost his mate and now Ryou was missing and most likely with the Witch now, enduring whatever pain she was inflicting on his human. Marik only hoped that Ryou was alright and still alive.

"Marik." Malik mumbled as he slowly opened his eyes and instantly Marik and Bakura were in his line of blurred sight with grins of relief on their faces. "I heard your voice in the darkness." Marik bent down and kissed him lightly on the lips; Malik feeling weak loosely wrapped his arms about Marik's shoulders.

The tanned Demon pulled back a little, only to have Bakura hug Malik tightly for a minute and pull back also. "You had us so worried." Bakura smirked but there was a load of worry and exhaustion that was showing on his face.

"Ryou!" Malik gasped out wide-eyed but wasn't able to move himself as his body felt far too sluggish to respond.

"It's okay, just rest." Marik said.

"I can't." Malik sat up and the room spun, he closed his eyes and bowed his head. "Ishizu attacked me and sent in Mai to take Ryou… and she did the bitch. She took Ryou right from under me." Malik growled disheartened as he placed a hand to his head and brought his knees up almost to his chest. "I couldn't stop her." He glanced up; tears were already filling his eyes. "My Sister wants him." He started to shake, remembering the last time Ryou was with his Sister. "We have to stop her now! We have to get Ryou back!"

"We will." The pale Demon reassured him.

"I'm so sorry Bakura that I couldn't stop her from taking him." Malik broke down into his hands; it was all too much for him to think of what his Human could be going through right now.

"It's okay Malik you're tired and you told Yami before you passed out, he is out there looking for her now and Mai as well." Marik said wrapping his arms about his mate comforting him.

"No it's not alright!" Malik pushed Marik away a little as he slid down to the floor, his bare feet touched down on the cold tile flooring.

"You have to rest." Marik ordered sternly his arms encircling around his Mate to held him up. "You were just in a hibernation, your wing is still very much injured." It had been healed but such an injury as a broken wing would take time to heal to the point of usage again.

"So I should leave Ryou at the mercy of my Sister? Because I have to rest and I have a broken wing?!" Malik shook his head and tried to pass by Marik, but his legs weren't working as well as they should have, Malik's tone had a sharp bite to it as he said. "He would be dead by midnight for sure if he isn't already."

"Malik." Bakura stopped him and kept Malik on his feet as he stumbled a little, knowing full well now that Seto had given him a painkiller drug that sent his body almost numb. "I'll never leave Ryou to defend himself against a monster like Ishizu." He moved Malik back towards the table; Malik didn't have the strength to fight him off. "You have to rest, love, we'll get Ryou back, I promise you." Bakura reassured, he wouldn't allow his Mate to die again.

"Yes, and I'm coming to help… This is my entire fault and I don't care what Ryou said. I'll be damned if I'm going to sit here and wait." Malik protested weakly as Bakura picked him up off his feet.

"Marik and I can't properly protect you if we have to fight, and you are in no state to come with us."

"I'm coming!" Malik glared at him with a determined look as Bakura sat him down on the bed like table. "I'll be ready." Bakura narrowed his eyes at him, knowing something like this took time. Malik wouldn't be ready no matter how hard he pushed himself, not even in a month would Malik be ready for what they were going to do tonight.

"Malik listen to us." Marik got his attention coming to their side and more closer. "We almost lost you and I don't want to go through that again, I want you here resting and safe."

"I'm coming with you and don't argue with me, Marik." Malik narrowed his eyes the half Demon looked exhausted and must have felt it as he could barely stand on his own two feet or keep his balance.

Marik and Bakura gasped as they caught Malik in their arms. "You can't even sit, how are you going to help us?" Marik lifted Malik's chin up and found him unconscious, Marik picked him up and carried him from the room and headed up stairs to place Malik in their bed.

* * *

Seto walked down the hallway and approaching Joey's apartment door with a steady pace. He thought for once that he would take the _Human _approach and knock on the door and wait to be invited in, instead of letting himself in. Then he would get Joey to apologies to him. Seto had done nothing wrong or so he thought.

He knocked twice and waited and no answer came. He knew that Joey was home not because he was stalking the Human, but because he could smell Joey's scent in the hallway and around the door. Seto knocked again. "It's me open the door, Joey!" He called out just in case the Human was standing on the other end of the apartment watching the door and waiting for him to leave. Well Seto wasn't going anywhere until he spoke to the Human face to face.

If the Healer was the slightest bit honest with himself he had felt a little bad for what he had said. Seto wasn't going to _say_ he was _sorry_ or admit that he had also been in the wrong of mistreating the Human. What else were Human's good for besides feeding from? There was no way that he, Seto Kaiba, would be seen with a Human Mate attached to his arm or any other part of his body for that matter. An eternity of having a Human for a Mate was absurd, how long did Humans live for anyway?

Seto knocked again with a growl. "Open this door now!" He was getting angry as Joey was acting like an impertinent child and Seto was losing his patience fast.

It had been the old woman from across hall, who stuck her head out and looked at him. Seto growled and she gasped ducking back in and locking her door… that was it.

Seto used his powers and was now standing in the living room. "Joey?!" He called out as he glanced about the room for the said Human. Hearing water running in the bathroom down the hallway. Seto knew that Joey was in the shower, instantly understood why the door wasn't answered when he had knocked.

Seto made his way to the bathroom to talk to Joey, not caring if the Human was naked, wet and bathing, the Healer wanted to talk to him, now. A small flashing red light came from the small answering machine from across the room on a side table.

Seto stopped walking and watched it for a few seconds as curiosity sparked, knowing just what the device was. He walked towards it and pressed the rewind button to see who would leave his Human a message. It stopped with a soft click sound and played. '_Joey I called you today and you weren't home.'_ Came a woman's voice, Seto frowned down at the black answering machine with interest.

"_Listen mom."_ Seto lent forward over the machine and listened, had Joey realized that he had recorded his phone conversation? _"I made a mistake and I was wondering if I could come home for a while." _Seto could hear the tears in Joey's voice and how sad he sounded… didn't his mother live in America? Joey's voice cut him out of his thoughts. _"Mom, please let me come home even if it's only for a few weeks, I need to see you guys."_ Seto's eyes widened and his heart leapt painfully in chest at the thought that Joey wanted to leave him… then again he didn't give Joey a reason to stay with him either.

Seto turned off the machine he had heard enough and turned for the front door, he didn't know why he kept coming back to see the Human to annoy him and to sleep with him. Why? He had so many easy lovers at his disposal that were willing to fall at his feet and for-fill each one of his wishes. Why Joey? Why out everyone in the world he could have did he pick Joey over them? What was it about this Human that made him keep coming back for more?

Seto pulled open the door and took one glance about the apartment, as this was the final time that he would be here, taking in a deep breath he froze up at the faint smell of blood. Why hadn't he picked it up before? He closed the front door and walked back into the apartment. "Joey?" He walked to the bathroom, the running water from the shower got louder. He pushed open the door and stepped in, the smell of blood became a little stronger in the room.

No steam, but there had been as the walls were wet and the mirror was still a little fogged up. "You in here?" Seto called out as he walked to the shower. "Answer me when I talk to you." He snapped as he pulled back the curtain and his eyes widened at seeing Joey half sitting and half laying down in the tub. Joey's back rested on the upwards slopping side, one arm lay at his side as the over lay over the middle of his body, his wrists weren't bleeding as much as the smell had lead on, _this wasn't right._

"Joey!" He growled as his mind raced in an almost panicked state making it hard for him to think clearly on what to do. _'Get him out of there and stop the bleeding.' _A voice spoke up in his mind.

Seto moved in letting out a gasp as the water was running cold; he moved about and with a little difficulty, due to the wall and where Joey was laying. He had managed to pull Joey out of the shower and onto the bathroom floor. "Joey, what have you done?" Seto reached out and took Joey's left wrist and brought it to his lips and licked the wound closed, fighting back the urge to feed from the unconscious Human as he did so. Seto did the same to the other wrist watching as it slowly closed over as if someone was stitching the skin back together slowly.

Seto sat back, how much blood had Joey lost before he turned up? Seto shook his head and placed his ear to his chest and listened for a heart beat. Seto's thumb kneaded over the mated mark that was on Joey's shoulder unknowingly. There was a heartbeat but it was faint and getting weaker and his breathing wasn't doing that great either.

Seto shook his head as he lifted it away from the chest, he had never been so worried and it frightened him on the thought that he might lose the Human. What had made Joey feel the need to throw his life away like this? Seto bit his lip and for the first time since his little brother, he was wishing for someone to be here to guide him in what to do. He couldn't turn Joey into a Demon to save his life there was to much blood loss it would kill him anyway and having Joey hate him for an eternity didn't sit so well with him either. If he healed Joey he could very well kill him, as he had never had to heal a dieing Human before. He was never shown how as Human's had always been expendable and not important enough to waste energy on.

Seto bit his lip, Joey needed help and he needed it now, suddenly a thought came. He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it about Joey's body and lifted him up off the ground and into his arms. "Hold on Joey, I'll get you help." Seto walked out of the bathroom and into the living room going right for the glass sliding doors that lead to a balcony outside.

Seto gave Joey a worried look as he managed to get the door to slide open for him and the chilly night air rushed in, he noticed that Joey's lips were blue and his face that rested against his neck was cold enough to send a shiver down his spine. If Joey had been a Demon then this would be totally different. Holding Joey close to him to share what warmth he could, his wings folded out of his back as he stepped out onto the balcony and He flew off to the nearest hospital.

Seto landed in the near by alleyway that was close to where he had to go. He hurried to the doors of the hospital, his wings vanished as he entered the lights of the building and rushed inside. "I need help!" Seto called out to anyone in the area.

A nurse glanced up from behind the reception desk and pushed a button, then ran over to them. The double doors swung open by force as a stretcher came out and four doctors pushing it stopped just in front of him.

Already the men were trying to work on Joey before Seto could place him on the moveable bed. Seto laid him out and took hold of Joey's hand in his, but the hand slipped from his as Joey was pushed away through those double doors. Seto followed rushing along side of the stretcher down a hallway, they stopped and pushed him into a room.

Seto was left standing there with Joey in the large room with glass walls, doctors and nurse rushed about inside and outside the room getting what they needed together. Seto lent down so he was looking at his Human in the face. "Don't leave me Joey." Seto whispered to him brushing the wet hair from Joey's eyes. "Whatever we have, I can make a go of it… just for you."

"You have to leave now, Sir." Said the doctor as he approached them.

"I'll be waiting for you when you wake up." Seto closed the gap between them and kissed Joey on his cold lips and for the first time it was gentle and almost loving. Seto pulled back and was surprised to find tears running down his own cheeks, he wiped them away before anyone could see them.

Seto growled out as he was pushed away towards the doors. "You can't stay in here while we work." Said the short nurse pushing him out of the room and the glass doors closed on him as she ran back to the bed.

Seto placed his open hand on the glass and watched Joey. "Sir, I need a few details about the patient, starting with his name?" Asked the woman from the desk out front, holding a clipboard in her arms and a pen.

"Joey Wheeler." Seto said not looking away, they needed to know to save his life. "I found him in his apartment, he tried too…" Seto's inside twisted up painfully and he couldn't say the words, did Joey do this because of him? No it had to have been something else, right?

"Sir, what happened to him?" She asked blinking up at him as she wrote down his name.

"I don't know, he was just bleeding out." Seto turned away from the sight before him and headed down the hallway that he had come down.

"Sir, I still need more…"

"Just fix him, I'll take care of everything when I get back." Seto said over his shoulder cutting in over the top of her. He would stay if he didn't have to help, Bakura, Marik and Yami hunt down and kill some Vampires. He would be back and when he did Joey was so going to get it.

* * *

**T.B.C**

YAY, for Seto saving Joey, now all that's left is Ryou and Yugi to be saved. Okay the next chap should be the whole mountain part from the House of Motou, if not then it'll be placed into two parts, then another after that, that should end this story (cries) So that means (counting fingers) it should be only two chaps left, if not, then three, see how I go, but we are coming to a close here people, **Review** and you get another chap. (Love and Cookies)


	32. Chapter 32

Lost Love

It's been a little while since I updated this, so here you go and enjoy.

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, so if you don't like then do not read… Disclaimer: … '_I own nothing_!'

**Chapter 32**

* * *

Marik and Bakura stood under the hot spray of the shower with Malik between them as they washed away the blood from his body and hair. Malik's body may have been healed but deep red marks marked his body where the injuries had been. "Are we really going to leave him here?" Bakura asked, knowing full well that Malik wasn't going to like this one bit and most likely be pissed at them for a few years to come.

"What choice do I have?" Marik ran his fingers through Malik's hair washing out the leftover conditioner while his other arm was wrapped about him holding Malik to his chest.

"That's it." Bakura dropped the washcloth and stepped out wrapping his bathrobe about himself and held out his arms for Malik, Marik passed him over to Bakura and got out himself. Marik dried Malik off and then himself as Bakura carried Malik to their bed.

"We'll be back soon." Bakura said as he covered Malik over with the blankets, then turned to get dressed. "That's once we have someone to give us answers." Marik smirked as he pulled on khaki pants, getting answers meant torturing someone for them; he pulled on a black sleeveless top along with his boots.

Bakura pulled on his leather pants and a black shirt and boots. Bakura closed the drapes blocking out what was left of the setting suns rays and closed the door to the adjoined bathroom. Marik and Bakura had placed a small kiss to Malik's lips before leaving the room.

Their boots made sharp sounds on the tiled floor as they headed for their training room on the bottom floor of the mansion that sat just down the hall from the living room, library and Seto's healing room. The room was enormous with blue training mats on the floor, a fully equipped gym that was mostly weights then anything else, sat at the other end of the room near the large glass windows.

On their right the wall was covered with all kinds of weapons from all over the world, the weapons ranged from every era and country imaginable, this was Bakura's collection. "Looks like Yami has helped himself." Bakura notched a few daggers and long blade sword missing from the wall; all the weapons that Yami took were also pure silver blades.

Marik took a few daggers and placed them in his many pockets, knowing now why he liked his khakis so much. Bakura pocketed his lock picking tools and a few other things that he might need along with a few more daggers. Marik smirked, what he lacked Bakura made up for, his smirk fell and he frowned at the look the pale Demon had. "Bakura." Marik turned to him and lifted his chin up. "We'll get him back." Bakura just sighed. "Come on, let's kill us a Witch." Marik pulled him closer and kissed him slowly, running his tongue along Bakura's bottom lip with a soft purr and pulled away taking Bakura's hand in his, he led him out of the room.

* * *

Seto flew over the south side of the city not really watching where he was going; he was having second thoughts on leaving Joey on his own in that hospital. He growled did Humans even know how to heal one of their own properly? Did they go through years of training like he had? Did he do the right thing by leaving Joey at that place? "Damn it!" He had no idea why he cared so much, was he second-guessing himself, which he had never done before.

Seto closed his eyes for a second as the cool breeze blew gently against his face, was he really going to keep his word and make a go of whatever was between them? If he did Joey would have to learn his place in the Demon society and being a mate to a Demon. Seto had his doubts that Joey would just roll over and be obedient and just take orders. "NOOOO!" Came a terrified scream with a loud bang, Seto stopped in mid flight and looked down, his wings flapping over time to keep him motionless. A Vampire burst out of a warehouse door, it swung back with so much force, the Vampire ran right out into the suns rays and started to smolder.

What could have been so horrible that would drive a Vampire out into sunlight to get away from whatever was attacking it? A small hook on an end of some thin wire, shot out of the dark doorway and wrapped about his ankles, effectively tripping him over. "No, get away!" He clawed at the wooden dock his eyes wide and fearful. His gaze met the Healer's for a heart stopping second and then suddenly he was ripped back and vanished in that same doorway.

Seto landed on his feet, what was going on … nothing he knew of would make a Vampire willingly run for their lives. Another scream rang out as two female Vampires came running out blindly in their fear. Seto jumped out of their way as they rushed by him and into the sunlight and within five steps the two combusted into ash with painful loud screams.

Yami suddenly stepped out, only stopping for a minute, as he was surprised to find Seto standing before him. "What do you think your doing?" Seto growled out in a low warning voice. Was the Demon Lord trying to provoke a war?

"They didn't have the answers I was looking for." Yami continued his walk, placing the dagger at his side and gathered up the few meters of wire and hook placing it on his hip again for easer access.

"Attacking a nest of Vampires on your own without justification, the council will have you placed in the Hollow." Seto followed him. "Is that what you want?"

Yami turned about angrily. "I'm their King as I am yours… let them try it." He hissed. "I'll have their heads for it." He turned back and started walking again.

"Listen to yourself." Seto snapped. "You sound insane and we aren't prepared for a war."

"You miss that fact that tonight we are at war." Yami said over his shoulder.

"Why?!" Seto grabbed him. "What have you done?" Was their clan falling apart? Maybe some kind of mad sickness had driven Yami to do something so foolish and a quick away to kill himself. "Why are you attacking Vampires?" He turned Yami about roughly to face him.

"Because." Bakura said, landing a few feet away from them, Marik silently followed. Seto let go of Yami and stepped back just a little.

"As you know very well Ishizu attacked Malik today." Marik said stopping at Yami's side. "She used Mai to get her hands on Ryou and Yugi."

"Who's Yugi?!" Seto knew of Ryou, did Marik and Bakura get another slave? Damn the Witch was right; Marik and Bakura couldn't do without their little harem.

"Yugi is my… Mate." Yami said with a frown and a growl, normally just saying the Human's name always placed a smile to his lips, but the turn of events and his Human mate taken from him. Yami was ready to kill anything in his way without thinking on the consequences.

"You?! I didn't know." Seto was a little shocked and it must have shown. "I mean you said you had someone in mind but…" Seto shook off the strange feelings that stirred within him, turning his now cold hard glare at the group of three before him.

"I'm going to presume that Ryou was taken as well by the way you three are dressed for Halloween." Seto wasn't joking or was amused to see that the two halfwits were encouraging Yami in this assault against the bloodsuckers, but it was a good sight to see them playing together so nicely.

"She did and we are hunting Vampires down to find out where she is." Bakura said. "Her rogue Vampires are all over this city we are bound to come across one of them tonight who will know."

"I haven't found anything here." Yami said glancing over his shoulder at the now empty warehouse.

"Might I suggest that you avoid destroying the city and start with her two right hand warlocks Rishid and Shadi?" Seto suggested as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I know where they might be." He would help them out if it meant keeping his mind off Joey for a short time.

* * *

At the mountain Ishizu growled out as she tossed her bag over her shoulder and rushed to the nightstand beside the bed. "Where is it?" She ripped out the draw letting it fall to the floor at her feet. She followed it by kneeling down and searching through everything.

Mai walked into the room after making sure that her fellow Vampires didn't feed off the Human while dragging him to the dungeons. She had a small idea what her mistress was up too and nothing good could come of what she wanted to do. In fact it ran chills down Mai's spin, if Ishizu fulfilled her plan, life would end. "Umm…." Mai was stunned to see the room had been turned upside down, the bed's mattress lay on the floor with it's pillows and blankets and the Witch herself on her hands and knees, her backside up in the air like some common slave, looking for something.

"I had it, I know I had it." Ishizu's voice was muffled. "It's to important for me to forget it." She knelt up with a frustrated scream and pulled her hair. Mai's eyes widened as she took a step back out the door. "ALL THIS WILL BE FOR NOTHING!" She raged, Mai backed right out until her back hit the wall across the hallway.

Ishizu growled she would have to leave what she was doing and return to her home, hoping she would return in time before the Human's soul woke up. "Tell me and I'll retrieve it for you." Mai said a sickly feeling in the pit of her stomach, didn't she know, that if she did this her life would be over as well.

"No." Ishizu snapped at her. "You must stay here and keep those beasts away from the Human's." The Witch knew it was dangerous for her to leave the safety of the mountain, but she didn't have a choice in the matter she was after the ultimate power. "If I'm not back by dawn… just… kill the Human's." Mai watched silently as her mistress left, she was powerless to stop her… oh well, Mai had been dreaming of freedom now for over sixty years and it just may come tonight but not in the way she wanted.

Ishizu stepped out of an almost dark blue portal, it snapped shut the instant she did and bent down and picked up the small black pendent with a blue swirl in the centre and placed it into her pocket. She glanced about and spotted the glow of the city a good distance away and her car sat undisturbed a few feet away.

She couldn't use a portal to get to her apartment as every creature from the Realm would know and come to investigate the power, thus making it easier for Marik and Bakura to find her. She got into the car and started it up, if Marik got his hands on her then she would be dead for sure in the Demon's vengeful rage and the world would end and the power would be lost. "I'm so sorry, Malik." She lent forward on the steering wheel and tears fell, but his death hadn't been for nothing, once she had the power then she could bring him back to life. "And Marik shall not have you." She growled sitting back and turned the car and drove down the slope.

Forty-five minutes she had entered the city and pulled up outside her apartment building with her lights off. She glanced about watching for anything that might be out of place or a tell sign that a trap lay waiting for her… but everyone that was after her would be out looking for her dead brother, her heart sunk and her stomach twisted up at the thought of never seeing him again. "Sacrifice for the greater good." She mumbled to herself, squared off her shoulders and walked forward.

Her heels made a sharp sound on the cement as she walked in through the doors of the lobby and stopped at the lifts, the lights snapped out. She gasped and backed up going to make a run for the front doors again. "Ishizu! Wait!" She stopped recognizing the voice and turned around, her eyes wide trying to see through the darkness and her black hair stuck a little to her cheeks.

"Shadi?" Ishizu called back in a hushed whisper, not really sure.

"Yes, it's me." He replied.

"Where are you? I can't see you." She squinted her eyes peering into the darkness and she could just make out his dark figure in the doorway to the stairs, he looked taller somehow. "What are you doing here?" She snapped sounding more confident now, the dark could play tricks on ones eyes and since there was nothing to worry about, as she wasn't alone anymore.

"You've been gone for three days… we missed you."

"Been busy with the Humans and my plans, you know this." She approached the lifts once again, when a hand landed on her shoulders and spun her about so fast that it made her head spin. Then, she was slammed against the lift doors so hard that the air was knocked out of her and she hit the back of her head against the metal with a resounding cracking that filled the lobby and stars explode in her now blurred vision.

"Tell me Witch just what have you been up too?" Bakura hissed right in her face. She whimpered and raised her eyes, a warm sensation ran from the back of her head and down her back. She didn't get to say anything as she passed out falling forward against the pale Demon, Bakura stepped a side quickly and watched as she fell face first to the ground.

"I thought that she would have placed up a better fight." Marik stepped out of the darker shadows with Shadi in his grasp.

"I won't talk anymore!" Shadi snapped. "You filthy vermin will die for this!"

"I'll make Ishizu talk." Bakura used his foot to roll her onto her back and growled out. "I'll make her sing."

* * *

Yugi sat on the bed watching over his friend who's face was damp with sweat and his hair stuck to his neck and face, his chest heaved up and down in his sleep. "I don't think his doing so well." Yugi mumbled glancing at Serenity who was lent up against the rock wall. They both jumped as Ryou sat up coughing and rolled onto his side, his body heaved with jerks as he gasped for air. "It's okay." Yugi said standing up and patted his back gently.

"It hurts." Ryou gasped out loudly into the mattress as he dug his fingers into it to relieve some of the pain that seemed to be burning up his insides and head.

"This isn't good, this isn't good." Serenity said standing and moving over to them. "His changing into one of them one of the Dead." Her eyes widened and she pulled on her hair. "WE'RE HERE FOR HIM TO FEED OFF!" She screamed out and ran to the door hitting it with her fists. "LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!"

"SHUT UP!" Yugi yelled at her knowing no one was going to walk up and politely open the door for them just because she screamed it.

Serenity instantly stopped and turned about looking at him and whispered. "Okay." And walked back to the bed leaning over his shoulder and added in a warning tone. "But if he bits me, I'll bite you."

Ryou gasped as his head felt as if he had a massive amount of pressure and with pain alone stopped moving.

'_Ryou, Ryou, Ryou, Ryou.' _A number of voices yelled in his ears and head making it split and ring with pain as images flashed of places and faces that he had never seen before. _'You can come home now, be with us, we want you more then anyone else in the world.' _All the voice said in different pitched tones and in unison.

"I don't want to be with you, I want to get out." Ryou mumbled out loud.

"Ryou, I'm right here." Yugi tried worriedly and confused on who his friend was talking too.

Suddenly the voices stopped and only one was heard. _'It's dark here where we are, we are lonely and cold.' _Something in that voice made Ryou's blood run cold but he couldn't help but listen to it and he felt pity for them. _'Save us, let us out, only you can set us free from the darkness…you were entrusted with our souls and your own, free us and no more will you be in the dark on why you hate Bakura so.'_

The pain stopped and Ryou snapped his now golden eyes open and up towards the door. "I don't hate him, I love him."

"Who?" Yugi asked. "Ryou talk to me!" He shook his friends shoulders lightly to get his attention.

'_They made you forget HIM, all this time your world had been consumed by lies of a murderer... we'll set you free and in turn you set us free, we yearn it, we long for it.'_

Ryou no longer saw the cell of rocks that he was in, but a town thick with black smoke that burnt his eyes to the point of watering up and burnt his lungs to the point of pain and hot air from walls of fames over heated his skin. Suddenly a voice spoke up, though it sounded younger but it was recognizable as his own. It rang clear over all the other voices in his head drowning them out. _'I don't want you to go where I can't follow you.'_ Tears fell from Ryou's eyes as the instant wave of sadness, frustration and anger. _'Take me with you!'_

Another voice rang out and it brought out a sob from Ryou_. 'I order you.'_His name was right there and yet it was stuck in his throat as if he couldn't remember or his body unwilling to speak the name.

Yugi bit his lip he tired everything to get Ryou's attention and nothing worked, Serenity was tugging on his top and whimpering wanting to leave.

"DON'T GO! COME BACK!" Yugi and the girl leapt away as Ryou jumped from the bed and threw himself at the door as he slammed his fists against the hard wood as he screamed out. "DON'T LEAVE ME!"

The voices spoke up once again sounding even softer in their demeanor as if they had taken some kind of pity on him. _'We never left you, we have always been here protecting your soul and heart against those who would abuse it.'_

Ryou slid to the floor his shoulder still against the hard wood as he sobbed into his knees as he wrapped his arms about himself. "This isn't fair, it hurts too much..."

'_Free us and you'll be free as well… but first you have to find us, you know where we are.'_ The voices fell silent.

Yugi shifted on his feet and approached him slowly. "Ryou?"

Serenity grabbed Yugi by the shoulder and stopped him as she frowned sternly at Ryou and whispered. "There's something wrong with him, don't you see?"

"No, he's fine maybe he's in shock." Yugi shook her off but didn't move, did his body believe her and refused to move to help his distressed friend who had finally cracked it?

Ryou stood up swiftly and glanced at them and Yugi held in his gasp as not one flicker of realization showed on Ryou's face. "What do you want?"

It sounded a little like Ryou but something else was behind it, something not right and he feared it, Yugi backed up. "Don't talk to it!" Serenity hissed in his ear pulling him back but keeping her eyes on him.

"Ryou, what's wrong with you?" Yugi asked noticing that Ryou's soulful brown eyes were now like Yami's, a crimson colour to them and they glowed in the dimly lit cell reflecting so much pain and sadness.

Ryou turned ignoring him as he spoke a few words that were lost to the two in the cell and something opened up in the room, it was round in shape and made of green mist like thick fog on a cold winters morning. "A portal?" Serenity gasped. "Not even the Dead have that power."

Was it magic? Yugi stared in wonder how could this be there was no such thing, and yet. He lay witness to such things that weren't possible and all of it was happening before his eyes. "You need to leave this place." Ryou said over his shoulder as he stepped through the green portal and came out on the other side of the door.

"Lets take his advice." Serenity pulled an unwilling Yugi with her. "Bad things are going to happen here tonight."

"No way!" Yugi dug his heels into the soft dirt of the cell floor. "I'm not going anywhere near that thing." He backed up.

"It's our only way out!" She grabbed him. "Don't be such a girl and walk through it like a man." She pulled at him.

"It could kill us!" Yugi was losing to her stronger tugs and was ending up closer to the portal then he liked and pulled back like a tug-a-war.

"Better it then the Dead!" She grunted out tugging on his arm. "Come on, before it closes on us."

"No!" Yugi shouted, he didn't believe in all of this, he had to be dreaming, right? It was the only explanation to all of this madness.

"Please Yugi, I don't want to die here." She pleaded and refused to leave without him, after all he was cute and she liked him.

"Okay, okay." Yugi said pulling free. "But if we die, I'll kill you myself."

"Don't say such things people will think you're crazy."

Yugi shut his eyes and held his breath as the two stepped through the portal, and when nothing happened he slowly opened his eyes and stumbled backwards hitting the cell door with his back. "It's not possible." He whispered as he was staring wide eyed down a dark tunnel of more dirt and rocks with flamed torches being the only means of light.

"I know this place like the back of my eyes." Serenity said taking his hand and pulling him down the tunnel.

"Don't you mean hand?" Yugi asked.

"No." She said, Yugi sighed at least they were out of that cell and they could find a way out.

* * *

**TBC.**

Now it gets interesting from here, so tell me what you think, leave a **Review **. (Love and Cookies)


	33. Chapter 33

You guys have no idea on how much I enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope you enjoy it too.

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, mentions of torture though not much so don't worry too much about it, but if you're not sure then just don't read… Disclaimer: … '_I own nothing_!' OMG that disclaimer is like a worn out chewed up shoe, it needs to be thrown out…

**Chapter 33**

* * *

The front door to the mansion burst open and with her mouth gagged to stop any spells being cast against them and her hands bound behind her back to keep her in a more submissive posture, it made it all the more easier to handle her better without worry.

Ishizu gasped as she fell to the floor on her side, Bakura smirked as he roughly grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her up to her feet. It was taking all his will power not to kill her right here and now. "I want to show you my toys and how well I can play with others." The pale Demon shoved her towards the kitchen, she stumbled trying to keep her footing, she turned and tried to make a snapping nasty come back, thanks to the gag it was lost to all.

Marik chuckled very amused saying as he followed them in a leisurely way. "She's got spark for someone who is about to die."

"A spark I'll be happy to break." Bakura shoved her again and she fell against the counter of the kitchen and fell to her knees and again she snapped viciously at them as she shook her head. "It's not lady like to swear." Bakura pulled her up to her feet as he pulled her across the room by her elbow and opened the basement door.

"Bakura." Marik stopped him; the pale Demon stopped and glanced at him. "I'm going upstairs for a minute, just don't kill her while I'm gone." Bakura nodded his head as Marik turned and left the room; Yami and Seto followed him down into the basement.

Marik practically ran up the stairs to his bedroom, he pushed open the door and walked into the dark room to find Malik still fast asleep, his hair a little dryer and now lay a little in his eyes and his chest moved up and down in a nice and steady rhythm and he lay where Bakura had left him before. Sighing in relief he walked over to the bed, nothing had been disturbed at all.

Marik snatched up the empty glass that was left there from the night before and took it into the joining bathroom. He washed it out and filled it with cool water and returned it back onto the nightstand. He bent over and kissed Malik's cheek and then left the room again and headed down to the basement.

Marik took the last step, the room was dimly lit but a few lights, a bed sat against the wall on his left and the wall in front of him was covered in an old wooden rack with old wine bottles, the whole thing looked as if it would fall down at any second, the wall to his right held two long chains near the ceiling and two more at the bottom of the floor. This basement was made to hold anyone with powers and anyone they saw fit as their enemies, even Yami used it as a holding place for those who were sent back to the Realm for their misdeeds.

"Anything you want to say before I start?" Bakura asked leaning against the wall where the chains sat, Yami had said once that it made the perfect little bondage room.

"Go fuck yourself!" She spat much like an angry kitten, Yami and Seto laughed, the two were sitting on the foot of the bed. Ishizu was chained to a wooden chair in the middle of the room so everyone had full view of her, just in case she tried anything.

Bakura was anything but amused by her words as he glared at her, he didn't think that anyone really understood just how much he hated this woman, not even Marik. Bakura used her choice of words. "I would rather be fucking my Mate." The laughter instantly stopped as Bakura pushed off the wall and Marik noticed for the first time a small table with small tools sitting on it, screwdrivers and pliers mostly, Bakura picked up an odd metal object and walked towards her. "You once again have taken what is mine and hurt the ones I love." Bakura slowly circled her, his mind at work on what he wanted to do with her.

"Malik was a sacrifice I was willing to make." She said, straightening herself up in the chair as if nothing would affect her. Her chin was up and her shoulder straight as if willing to take what was coming from the Demon's in the room. Ishizu would not falter, nor would she give in and cry out or bend to their will. She was a Witch of the highest class.

Marik stormed towards her and pulled her up by her shirt including the chair as well. "He wasn't yours to sacrifice!"

"We are at war, everyone has to sacrifice something." She gasped a little as she and the chair was slammed back down onto the ground and Marik turned away. "Yami sacrificed his Mother and Seto scarified his Bother… I scarified my Brother for the greater good." She smirked as Bakura came to a stop in front of her. "And you Bakura scarified Ryou to me for the power to put this war to an end… and your life will end."

"Lets talk about Ryou and where he is and what you have done to him." Bakura smirked as he lifted the metal object up and held it up to her eye level. "But first, a little more sacrificing is to be done on your behalf, Witch."

Ishizu narrowed her eyes defiantly and hissed out right in his face, almost nose to nose. "Ryou will be dead by midnight and you'll be powerless to save him." She went to speak again and that's when Bakura shoved the metal object into her mouth and it forced her to keep it wide open.

"I will save Ryou." Bakura turned for a second to pick up the pliers from the small table, then turned back to her, Bakura added. "After every tooth I pull, I'll give you a chance to tell me where my Mate is."

* * *

Malik slowly opened his eyes to hearing someone screaming in the house, it had woken him from his sleep. At first, he thought he had been dreaming but now he could still hear it. "Marik." His voice was dry and it made him cough, he rolled onto his side facing the door and pushed himself up, spotting the glass of water on the nightstand he reached out and took it, drinking it down thirstily.

Putting the glass back he got to his feet and found just how exhausted he felt, as he had never been that injured in so long or had to be healed so much that it still left him so weak. He needed to recover and didn't know how long he had before Marik and Bakura left to get Ryou back, he didn't want to miss out and be left behind.

With his limbs shaking so badly that he could hardly keep his balance, he used the wall and with all his effort he had made his way downstairs and into the kitchen. The screaming was replaced with soft sobs and whimpers coming from the open basement door. One thing in this house that Malik hated and that was the basement, it reminded him of his days spent in such a place with no lights and four dark walls and a hard floor. He stopped in the doorway looking down the stairs and saw Marik standing at the bottom; he jumped as another scream of pain filled the room and the rest of the house.

Malik took one step at a time and reached the bottom and that's when his legs gave out on him, they had strained so much to get him down here. He stumbled forward and fell in open arms and against a hard body. "You should be resting." Marik growled out worriedly, his wings spread out to block Malik's view of the room and the Witches, not sure on how Malik would take seeing his Sister and what Bakura was doing to her.

"What is going on?" Malik glanced up letting his Mate support him, he felt so tired, there would be no way he could make it back upstairs on his own.

"We found your Sister." Marik looked away over his shoulder as he lowered his wing a little to see her but only getting a view of Bakura's back.

"You have her here?" Malik moved a little looking around Marik's body and saw her as Bakura moved to the side a little his hands at her mouth. "ISHIZU?!"

"Malik don't!" Marik tried to stop him, Malik had slipped out of his reach and ended up stumbling in his haste and fell into Bakura's arms, getting a good look at his Sister and his eyes widened as did hers. Her mouth was held open by a contraption and blood ran in thick slimy rivers down her chin and chest. He glanced down and saw a few teeth lay on the floor and the pliers that Bakura had dropped upon catching him.

"How could you?" Malik growled his eyes snapping up to meet his Sisters cold blue ones. Marik stopped in his tracks as Bakura frowned.

"Malik we're doing…"

"You deserve this and more!" Malik cut Bakura off as he lunged at his Sister and ripped the metal object from her mouth, she scream again letting her head fall forward as she whimpered in pain and relief. "What has Ryou ever done to you?" Angry tears fell as he wrapped his hands about her neck; she started to gag for air. "I want you out of my life! I want you dead!" He seethed at her.

"Malik enough!" Marik was the first to move, grabbing onto his mate and very easily pulled him away from the Witch. They didn't want her dead before she could give the answers they wanted.

Malik struggled the best he could, trying to get back at her. "I'll kill you!" He screamed at her. "What did you do with Ryou?!" Malik's whole body trembled with the strain he was putting on himself.

"Easy Malik." Marik whispered in his ear as he turned his mate about to face him.

Ishizu lent forward and spat out a large mouthful of blood onto the floor. "Why am I not surprised that you're still alive, Malik!" Her look had been one of surprise when she had laid her eyes on him; she covered it though before it was noticed, easy to do when she was in so much pain.

"Where is Ryou?" Bakura asked, he was barely containing his rage as it was, he had a feeling that he was somehow running out of time to save Ryou, or had it been what the Witch had said about Ryou dieing before midnight? He didn't trust anything she said and since she was here with him then there would be no way she could harm his human.

"Tell us!" Malik yelled at her he had stopped his struggling with Marik, he lacked the energy to do anything more than yell at her and he was far too tired too do anything else.

Ishizu's whispered words still rang clearly in Bakura's mind of what she had done to Ryou in the past. "Come on you have twenty seven teeth left and I can do this all night." She shook her head the pain was unbearable already. "If not." Bakura said in a bored tone, picking up the pliers and looking them over. "I could always cut out another part of your anatomy."

"You say you're not a monster." She hissed out glaring at him. "W- what would Ryou say if he saw you now?"

"I wouldn't know!" Bakura snapped back. "He's not here to see me!"

Malik broke free of Marik's hold and pulled his Sister forward by her bloody top, his lips almost touching her ear as he whispered, even with their good hearing they couldn't hear what was being said, but they saw Malik's lips moving as he spoke to her. She had stopped breathing at one point and her eyes widened and filled with tears.

Bakura frowned at Marik wondering what Malik was saying to her to get such a reaction. Ishizu let her head fall forward as Malik pulled back and almost collapsed. Marik had rushed forward and caught him in his arms and moved him away from the Witch.

Ishizu was trembling more then what she had when Bakura was pulling her teeth out. "Well?" Bakura growled. "Are you going to tell us where Ryou is?"

"Ishizu." Malik gave her a warning growl, he was still on his feet as he clutched onto Marik.

It was his words and the pain that she was in, she nodded her head giving in. "I'll tell you what you want to know." Bakura raised an eyebrow; it really wasn't that much of a threat was it? Did she still have some kind of plan?

"You will?" Yami asked jumping off the bed and walking over, she nodded her head again but kept her eyes on Bakura. She'd make that Demon pay for what he had done to her, but for now she had to save herself and she believed that Malik would do all the things he said.

"Ryou's being held at my command, he's in the Eastern part of our Realm." The pain consumed her head as she spoke and she was now fighting to stay awake, in fear that she would never waken again after giving up the location on where she had the Human.

Yami frowned. "Why the Vampire's colony?" Any hope of getting Yugi back now unharmed was so slim as there were bound to be a few thousand Vampires and the Demon Lord wasn't on friendly terms with the Lord of Vampires.

"It doesn't matter." Bakura said getting everyone's attention in the room. "The point is we know where Ryou is and Yugi." Yami agreed, it was more then he hoped for and at least he could get Yugi back.

"Alright, twenty minutes and we are moving out." Yami said as he rushed up the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Seto, heal her a little." Bakura said and Ishizu glanced at him giving him a look of distrust, since when did her enemies heal her? "She's coming with us." Bakura said his narrowed eyes not leaving hers as he spoke. "Insurance that I have something to torture if you're lying and I don't find Ryou."

They had been down there for a while; Seto healed the Witch enough to stop the bleeding and left her chained up on the wall and gagged. The Healer knew that it was safe to leave her while he went to get ready.

Bakura rolled his shoulder, it ached a little as did his arm, it had been his first time pulling out teeth and he didn't realize that it took a while just to pull out a few perfectly good teeth, but it had been a little effective. "Bakura." Seto said approaching him while holding a glass of really dark green thick goo. "Give this to Malik."

Bakura took it, looking it over, whatever it was it looked disgusting. "What is it?" He wrinkled his nose up at it; he hoped that Seto didn't think that Malik would drink this maybe it was a rub in lotion?

"He as to drink it, it'll put him to sleep until morning and numb his pain, so we don't have to worry about him following us and getting hurt or getting himself or us killed." Bakura raised an eyebrow glancing at the glass again and thought that it might be for the best that Malik slept the night away in the safety of their home… but Malik wasn't going to drink this willingly.

He made his way upstairs; Marik had taken Malik back to their room while he was still in the basement chaining the Witch to the wall. Bakura stopped at the door upon hearing them and looked in seeing the two in an argument, Malik lay on the bed as Marik stood at the foot of the bed. "You're not coming with us!" Marik growled, he had pulled out Bakura's bag of weapons that the pale Demon kept separate from every other weapon in the house and normally in the same room he slept in, Bakura could be at times a little paranoid.

Malik was losing the battle to stay awake and have this conversation with his Mate. "I'm not completely useless." He huffed out and crossed his arms over his chest looking away. Bakura stood where he was at the door and watched. Marik crawled onto the bed and over to Malik.

"I know you're not useless." Marik wiped the hair from Malik's face, then leaning in more and forced Malik to lay down on his back under him.

"Leaving me here isn't fair, Marik." He pointed out sadly knowing his own body was letting him down and tears filled his eyes, it truly wasn't fair. "And it was my fault that Ryou was taken, if I had of been more stronger this wouldn't have happened." Malik let out a sob as Marik cupped his face with one hand.

"You tried your best with how injured you were and I remind you that you're still injured and how grateful I am that I still have you." Marik murmured as he wiped away the tears that fell. Bakura could hear every word spoken with ease and not having to be in the room completely.

"I can still fight." Malik bit his lip, he may not be able to fly, but he could fight.

"You can barely stand on your own two feet and heals are flesh only." Marik said, and to make his point on just how injured Malik still was, he ran his hand down to Malik's neck, shoulder and stopped at his arm, where his mated mark was once again healed from the burn Malik's Sister had made and he squeezed his Mate's arm a little.

Malik cried out in pain and grabbed onto Marik's hand and tried to pull it away from his arm. "Let go!" He arched his back pressing himself into Marik's body, who instantly let go and kissed Malik all over his face with whispers of apologies.

"Understand, my love and don't fight me on this you won't stand a chance in this battle." Marik pulled back a little as Malik held his arm. "She took your wings and with it your strength, I'll not see you hurt again if it can be avoided."

"Neither of us want to see you hurt, Malik." Bakura said as he walked into the room, the glass in hand. "Stay here and rest, we will have Ryou here by morning."

Malik looked away irritated, angry and even upset with himself that he wasn't ready to help. "I'll stay." Why didn't Bakura believe him? Did Seto know what Malik might try and do?

"Seto gave me this, he said you have to drink it and it'll help." Bakura held out the glass for him to take, Marik got up to his feet, Malik raised an eyebrow at it and made no move to take it.

"What is it?" He shook his head moving back a little bit. "I'm not taking that, whatever it is, it's gross."

"Seto said it would help with the pain." Well it was part truth; it looked like sludge from the bottom of a swamp.

Malik reluctantly took it; Bakura glanced at Marik as he nudged the pale Demon a little with his elbow, Bakura gave him a look that said for him to wait.

Malik stared at it for a bit, Seto was never wrong about stuff like this and he knew that it would only benefit him. Closeing his eyes tightly, Malik took in a deep breath then held it as he downed the green drink. Only a few mouthfuls and Malik was gagging on it and coughing. Bakura took the almost empty glass from him and Marik handed him a glass of water. Malik took the water and washed away the goo from in his mouth and by then the pain he was in had stopped almost instantly, this was great he didn't feel anything at all.

"Wait, Malik, you shouldn't!" Bakura said as the other got to his feet, Malik stopped and clutched his head and bent right over at the waist, Bakura was there and holding him on his feet. "What… what did y-you give me?" Malik gasped out.

"The drink was a painkiller but it's also meant to help you sleep." Bakura picked Malik up off his feet and placed him back onto the bed.

"Hey, we're leaving now!" Yami said sticking his head in through the door briefly and left when Marik gave him a nod of his head.

"You bastard." Malik mumbled, his limbs felt too heavy to lift and it felt as if he hadn't slept in over a week and the bed had never been so comfortable, his eyes were closing as Bakura covered him over with the blankets and lent in.

"You would have only gotten yourself hurt." Bakura said as he gave Malik a lingering kiss to his lips and pull back enough to speak. "I truly thought that I had lost you today."

"So y-you… drug m-me?" Malik mumbled too weak and too tired to fight him off or care what they were doing, he now wanted to sleep.

"Forgive me Malik, we only love you and when you wake up Ryou will be here." Marik and Bakura watched as Malik fell into a deep forced sleep.

"You realize that he is going to be so pissed at us when he wakes up." Marik mumbled.

"I know and I'm hoping with Ryou here it'll soften him a little." Bakura only hoped. "But we better get going."

* * *

Mai sat in a large room next to a fireplace enjoying the warmth, surrounded by twenty Vampires, all gambling with each other, drinking or talking. They all would head out soon into the Human Realm to feed and come home before the sun rose. The Vampire Lord was away and how convenient it was for Ishizu to use this to her will in what she wanted. Mai glanced at her watch, there was an hour to go and Ishizu hadn't returned yet, had something happened to her Mistress?

She snapped her eyes up as a few glasses were dropped with gasps and panicked whispers, soon every Vampire in the room were on their feet watching the door.

Mai got to her feet and approached the door slowly as everyone was backing up and that's when she felt it, a wave of shear panic and fear. Oh god, when had the Servants gotten into their home without their presence known? What did they want? Most importantly what did the Master what with them? Mai started to back up away from the door when the feelings only grew, shit it was coming their way. She hoped they were only after her Mistress as no one could hide from such creatures. "I have to get out of here!" Someone on her right yelped out, Mai glanced at him giving him a look that said, _'Where? There was no way out.'_

The door burst open on it's own and to her surprise in not seeing the Servants standing before them… but the little Human Ryou, who stood in its threshold glaring at them all. Oh shit, what had her Mistress done? The whole room held their breath and scuffled backwards away from the Human as he took a step into the room.

Without a word spoken every Vampire in the room fell to their knees and bowed their heads. "How can we help you?" One of them asked in a shaky fearful voice, it sounded to Mai that he was begging for his life, she glanced at Ryou and watched him turn and walked out of the room again without a word.

Once he was gone, portals were opened, popping up like popcorn and they fled into the Human Realm in fear. Mai barely holding onto her fleeting courage, she rushed from the now empty room and followed the Human at a safe distance down the tunnels… maybe she could change the events that were about to unfold.

* * *

Yugi followed Serenity down tunnel after tunnel and everything looked the damn same. "Are you sure you know the way out?" He asked her, as she led him down yet another long tunnel that looked like all the other tunnels previously to the last hundred they had walked down. Yes he was tired and wanted nothing more then to be tucked up in his warm bed with Yami.

"The back of my eye." She pointed to her face not looking at him. "It's been a while since I saw the entrance to this place ok." She mumbled honestly, her hand ran along the rock wall. "But I do know the way out and that's important, right?" She smiled at him over her shoulder. "And once we are out we can live together forever, if not then we can live together as hermits in the Mountain and we can cook our own food, being out doors in the sun, the sun Yugi." She giggled happily with a hand over her month. "It'll be fun."

Both Human's not hearing the sound of the ground cracking under them. "Sure it sounds…" Serenity screamed and Yugi didn't have time to react and gasped as he instantly followed her, the ground under them had given out. The two slid down with the bits if dirt and rock, both screaming as they couldn't see a thing and suddenly they were in the air, falling, then the two hit a body of water with loud splash.

Yugi was the first to break the surface of the dark water with a gasp. "IT'S FREEZING!" He splashed about looking for dry land and where the girl had gone.

Serenity surfaced coughing up water and she brushed her hair out of her face. "We have to get out of here." She said over the sound of running water that echoed wherever they were.

"I know." Yugi was fighting to stay afloat in the now rough water and it sometimes splashed into his face as he flapped his arms about to help keep him afloat. "Can you see a way out?" He half yelled at her.

"No." She shook her head flapping her arms about in the water and kicking her legs. "But do you hear that?" She asked, as the running water got louder, were they in some kind of cave?

"It sounds like… oh no!" Yugi cried out as he was swept away with the stronger current, they both fell over the waterfall and landing into dark water again.

* * *

Seto landed just outside the city of Domino on the cliffs that over hung the ocean, it was a sightseers place for a great view of the water and city. He turned and could see the hospital's main wing above some of the other buildings. His heart sped up a little as his mind wondered on how Joey was going, a small part of the Healer yearned to see the Human and hold him, the other part didn't want anything to do with him for what he had done and made him more angry then concerned. It was a small part. Wings giving the final heavy whooshing sound as Yami landed a few feet from him and noticed the look on the Seto's face. "Something wrong?" He asked the Healer.

"No." Seto snapped as he turned away, he would not think on Joey again tonight.

Suddenly Ishizu dropped from the air with a scream landing on the ground heavily, face first into the soft grass. She was gasping and coughing as all the air was knocked out of her. "Oops." Bakura said landing on his feet. "Lost my grip." No apologies were made and none were needed or wasted on the Witch.

"That would be because of her extra weight." Marik said landing next to Bakura and was enjoying the torment. "You've gotten fat, woman." He sneered at her teasingly.

"Like you haven't! You pig!" She spat out, as Bakura pulled her up to her feet.

"Alright so how do we do this?" Yami asked over the wind and the waves below them smashing against the rocks.

"I will not be carried like luggage." Ishizu turned away from them her nose up in the air.

Bakura smirked as he pulled out a small pink stone with a green swirl in the centre; the stone was attached to a thin silver chain and he threw it, it burst like fireworks and a dark green portal opened up in front of him. Marik had been glad that he had put that stone back without Bakura noticing it was gone and had been used.

"Ladies first." Bakura shoved her in through the portal.

"We are just going head first into a Vampire colony?!" Seto asked as he walked by Bakura.

"It's the only way." He answered as Marik passed them both and stepped through the portal, Seto followed without another word.

"I thank you for your help in getting Yugi back." Yami stopped in front of the pale Demon; it was most likely the nicest thing Yami had said to Bakura in a few years.

"Lets call it even, only because you saved Malik." Bakura said, there was no way that he was doing this so the Demon Lord could his get Human back, it was just coincidence that Ryou and Yugi were taken together. Yami walked through the portal and Bakura was the last, it instantly snapped shut behind him.

The five of them now stood facing a large Vampire Mountain topped with snow on the few peeks and surrounds with dark clouds. Bakura placed the pendant around his neck, his thoughts once again on Ryou. "Do you see that?" Marik whispered to Bakura as he placed a hand onto his shoulder, the pale Demon glanced up into the night sky.

"I do." He mumbled a little sadly, the moon was a few more nights away from being full, his time had ran out, there would be no way that Ryou would accept him as his Mate. The sound of wings flapping out from the backs of the Healer and the Demon Lord, Marik gave Bakura's hand a small squeeze in reassurance and a soft smile. "Everything will be ok." He said.

Yami and Seto took to the air, Bakura wasn't going to give up just yet, Ryou needed him more right now, and this damn Mating Season could wait, Marik grabbed onto Ishizu and pulled her close to his body. "Unhand me you loathsome…" Anything she was saying was cut off with a scream when Marik took to the air with her in his arms. Bakura followed closely behind them.

They once again landed at the foot of the entrance to the Vampire's home that was located half way up the Mountain. Marik let go of Ishizu and she fell to the ground once again. "What?" Marik mumbled at the looks Seto and Yami gave, it helped him to land better without her in his arms.

"Damn you Marik!" She gasped out as she slowly got to her feet and backed up to the entrance.

"You live here Witch, so open the door." Yami growled, he was so close to having Yugi back and all he had to do was get inside that Mountain.

"Get in yourself." She turned and ran, throwing herself into the entrance and landing on her side heavily before any of them could move.

"Don't play with us, Witch!" Marik warned her, his eyes narrowed as she backed up into the darkness; he wasn't worried for she wasn't getting away from him so easily.

"You can't get in this place it's protected by Magic." She grinned rubbing the bonds that held her hands together at her wrists on a rock at her feet, the rope fell away freeing her. "I thank you for bringing me back here."

"Ishizu!" Bakura growled at her.

"Ryou will be dead by dawn along with the Human race and every other creature that stands in my way." She giggled and ran off into the darkness.

Bakura growled and lunged forward going after her until Marik grabbed him and stopping him from going any further. "It'll kill you." He hissed, the barrier was enough to kill them should they just walk through it.

"Amateurs." Seto mumbled loud enough for them to hear him as he waved a hand and dispelled the barrier that protected the entrance; he walked in stopping and looking over his shoulder. "Lets just say that I have the keys." Bakura and Marik rushed passed him into the dark tunnel; Yami followed them blindly as did a reluctant Seto.

The tunnel ahead was dark and the other entrances to other tunnels on either side of them were even darker and no lights to show them the way and they didn't need it. Ishizu gasped as her foot hit something and she stumbled forward, grabbing onto the wall. She could hardly see.

They spotted her up ahead and Bakura used his speed with a strong flap of his wings and grabbed onto her and spun her about. The sound of the floor cracked under them and they both gasped as they fell through the floor and into the darkness. The Witch clung to him to save herself, Bakura reached out for the ledge and missed and they both plummeted, Bakura's voice echoed everywhere as he called out for Marik to help.

"BAKURA!" Marik ran after him and slid to a stop as the flooring covered over once more and he fell to his knees calling out the pale Demon's name as he hit the moveable floor trying to break through it. "Bakura!" Marik called out as he stood up and walked forward, nothing happened, Marik looked about for a lever or something that would reopen the floor.

"This place is full of traps." Yami said. "We'll have to find another way down to them." He walked by Marik, as did Seto.

Marik gave floor one last glance as he reluctantly followed the others; tonight he had a feeling that it wasn't going to turn out how they hoped it would.

* * *

**TBC**

I really waited to keep it going but it would just be too long, but at the moment I don't think it could be too long, anyway, I think there will be a few more chapters to come still, so **Review** please. (Love and Cookies)


	34. Chapter 34

I'm telling you now to get comfy cos you're in for one hell of a long read. I also have been so busy lately that I don't even know how I manage to write/edit, even with my Saturdays being taken from me, I know who to blame for that one, but not naming names… but this chap took everything I had, I think, and was worried there for a while that I might not have even posted it, bad thoughts that it might not have been all that good and still I'm thinking it, thus on why this chapter was almost never going to be posted O.o…. So enjoy the chapter.

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, mentions of torture though not much so don't worry too much about it, but if you're not sure then just don't read… Disclaimer: … '_I own nothing_!' OMG that disclaimer is like a worn out chewed up shoe, it needs to be thrown out…

**Chapter 34**

* * *

Bakura fell so fast with the extra weight of the Witch as she was still tightly clutched to him to the point that she was cutting off his air. Bakura couldn't use his wings to slow his fall; the walls were covered with spikes and would tear up his wings. "Do something!" Ishizu yelped out, her eyes shut tightly.

"Fuck!" Bakura gasped and that's when they both hit the bottom, the pale Demon landing in water with a big splash… A few minutes later Bakura and Ishizu surfaced for a second before the pale Demon sunk again under the water by the weight of his wings.

Both were unconscious.

* * *

Ryou walked with ease in the darkness, his mind fogged with confusion on where he was and how he ended up here. One thought was clear in his mind and that was too free the voices that called to him from the back of his mind, but they were unclear of where he had to go and what they really wanted with him. "All this power is coming from you?" Keith stepped out and blocked Ryou's path. "I almost ran when I felt it." He smirked as if just finding out that the Boogieman was nothing but dust bunnies under a bed.

Ryou stopped walking and looked him over uninterested in the Vampire, Ryou glanced over his shoulder as Mai came to a stop behind him, waiting to see what would happen. Ryou had noticed her following him since he had walked out of that room awhile go and wasn't bothered by her at all. He didn't know what she wanted and she had made no move to threaten him, _yet_.

"I was mistaken, you're no human, nor anything I know of." Keith was looking him up and down sizing him up as the powers emitting from the human was a little frightening, even for him. "Ishizu saw something in you and here I thought you were just a simple Slave."

Ryou turned to his left and walked down the tunnel, ignoring the Vampire's pointless prattle and Mia followed him. They got half way when Keith rushed by Mai and grabbed a hold of Ryou and pinned him to a wall. "Don't walk away from me, Slave!" Ryou gasped and snapped his eyes up to meet the others and they turned from crimson to a golden yellow as they narrowed angrily and using both hands, Ryou hit Keith square in the chest and sent the Vampire flying backwards and landing on the ground a few feet away.

Mai was a little shocked that he had the power to back him up. "Stay out of my way!" Ryou warned as he moved on, walking by Keith as if nothing had happened.

Keith watched him for a few minutes, before growling out. "Damn you!" He got up to his feet. "I'll kill you for that!" He charged at Ryou with a dagger in his hand.

Mai was about to step in and stop what was about to happen, Ryou leapt backwards and swiftly pulled the dagger from Mai's hip and dashed forward as well. Human and Vampire hit each other front on. Mai bit her lip as neither of them moved; didn't Keith feel the frightening energy coming from Ryou? Maybe it was because Keith had been changed into a Vampire just a few months back and didn't know ancient power when he felt it. Mai only knew of it because of Ishizu and through her teachings… Maybe she should step in and stop this before the Human got hurt and her Mistress killed her for it.

Keith gasped as he clutched onto the Human's shoulder, Ryou twisted the Vampire's wrist and forced him to drop the dagger. Ryou briefly closed his eyes as he stepped out from under the weight of the Vampire, who was forced to support his own weight.

"I don't… this isn't…" Keith glanced at Mai and pulled his hands away from the dagger that was imbedded into his chest and heart. Mai took a step backwards; she placed her hand on her hip and found her weapon gone, she hadn't felt the Human take her dagger.

Ryou reached out and took the dagger out of Keith's chest and continued on his walk through the tunnels. He didn't remember there being Vampires, but then again he didn't remember being back home, why was this place so empty? Was he in the right place? Ryou didn't think so.

Keith let out a scream as he combusted into smoldering ash, Mai was reluctant follow the Human and she didn't know that she had been carrying a dagger that could kill her own kind. "Damn you Ishizu!" Mai hissed, as her Mistress would have enchanted the pure silver blade to do so, Mai would never have carried something like that on her.

Mai snapped out of her thoughts and ran after him. "Human?" She called out to him. "What is it you want?" She stayed a few feet behind him. Ryou ignored her as he took a tunnel to his left then took a right. "I may be able to help you." She tried as possibilities ran through her head, if she could gain his trust then no one would ever challenge her again, not even her Mistress as to have such power at her fingertips, she could be the next ruler over the Demon realm.

Suddenly the ground Ryou was standing on gave out from under him and Mai was to late to stop herself as she fell and followed him down the hole in the floor.

* * *

Yugi crawled out on all fours from the water and onto dry land and fell limp with a heavy sigh. "I wasn't planning on taking a bath today." Serenity said annoyed as she too came crawling out of the water and sat next to him, looking about.

"I don't care, I don't care!" Yugi growled with his face practically in the mud. "I want to go home now! I'm sick of pop-up shiny doors and talk of the Dead." He clutched his hands, fingers digging into the mud.

"Well, sitting on your ass isn't going to get us home, is it?" Serenity got to her feet brushing mud from her knees as she did and looked around. "Up! We don't have all night."

Yugi let out a self-suffering sigh as he pushed himself up to his feet, his limbs were shaking and he was cold. "I think we fell to the lower parts of the Mountain." She said, as she started to walk, her bare feet sinking into the mud with every step following the wall around.

"How do you know?" Yugi asked her as he wrapped his arms about himself to hold onto what warmth he had. The mud his feet sunk into was like placing his bare feet into snow, he shivered so badly that his knees buckled in towards each other.

"My Master lives here and he helped place half the traps in this place." She stopped, as did Yugi. "I know this place, kinda… Do you hear that?" She asked walking forward once again.

Yugi groaned he wanted to stop; he wanted to lay down for a few minutes and have a nap, nothing more then ten to fifteen minutes just to get his strength back.

"Sounds like someone yelling." Yugi mumbled gritting his teeth together to keep them from chattering. Serenity didn't seem affected by the cold that much and she was practically naked and just as wet from the fall into the water.

Serenity rushed forward and found a hole in the rock wall, not waiting for her friend she squeezed her body into the hole. "No wait!" Yugi bent down onto his knees and found it hard, his body felt stiff and not so moveable. "What are you doing? You'll get stuck!" He called into the hole after her.

"There's another room here, come Yugi, don't be a girl!" Serenity's voice echoed back and bounced off the walls around him.

"I'm never leaving home again." Yugi moaned out as he crawled through the hole in the wall a lot easier then Serenity had.

Yugi came out on the other end and a hand grabbed his and he was helped up to his feet. He stopped though, as there was a pale green glow to everything. Slowly he glanced up and gasped, at seeing millions of glow-worms all over the walls and ceiling, they even reflected off the water surface everything was a little easier to see, they looked like stars.

The cavern wasn't that big, two people fell from the hole in the caverns ceiling and hit the waters surface for a few seconds before one of them went back under the water.

"Come on!" Yugi yelled at the girl, to move her into helping him get them out before they drowned.

"But Yugi, I'm already wet." She whined at him but followed anyway, the water before them was nothing then a small pond of some kind and it was just as cold that it stole Yugi's breath away.

Diving in on where he thought the other had gone down and searched for a few minutes in the dark but clear water and he found the other, pulling him up to the surface Yugi took in a breath before the weight of the other pulled him back down again.

Serenity had no troubles in getting the woman onto solid ground and dashed back into the water to help her friend. "He weighs a tone." Yugi gasped for air and tugged him to the shore, the girl grabbing onto him pulling as well.

Serenity was the first out and pulled the guy's arms as Yugi pushed him and once his top half was out of the water and he was safe, Yugi fell on top of his back panting for air and too exhausted to care. "Umm, Yugi… should, should they be breathing?" She looked confused and worried as Yugi glanced at her. "I mean air is important, right?" Serenity bit her lip.

Yugi blinked a few times as it registered in his head, gasping he said. "Help me roll them over." He gave the order, but froze as he saw the damp black mess of feathers on the guy's back and what he had been laying on, _where they attached?_ Yugi pulled away.

Suddenly startled cries came and a few second's later three bodies came out of the wall and ended up in the water with a big splash and soon three heads popped up. "Well this is just fucking nice!" Yugi knew that voice, it was… Malik? No, Marik, what was he doing here? Had they come to rescue them?

"I said for you to watch your step!" Snapped another, Yugi didn't recognize it. "But do you listen? No! Just because I heal doesn't mean I know nothing of traps." The voice snapped.

"Shut up! I told you both that you were walking into a trap. I'm the Leader, damn it! No I'm the fucking Lord and do you treat me as such? No!" That was Yami and Yugi had never been more relieved to hear his voice. "I get no respect from you lot!"

"This shit is freezing and we have to find Bakura and Ryou." Marik growled out as he made the swim to the shore.

"Yami?!" Yugi called out interrupting what they were arguing about and got up rushing to the edge of the water to met him; they had come to save them and most importantly Yami had come with them.

"Yugi?!" Yami started to swim, over taking Marik and rushed out of the water and threw his arms about his Human. "I was so worried about you." Yami pulled back looking him over. "Are you hurt? Did anyone hurt you?" Yami ran his hands over some parts of Yugi's body looking for wounds.

"Seto!" Marik called out as he spotted Bakura and rolled him over onto his back. "He's not breathing." The tanned Demon brushed the wet hair from Bakura's eyes and saw a cut on his forehead. Seto knelt down and healed the wound, and with a gasp of air and a cough from Bakura, he was okay and breathing once again. Marik rolled him onto his side and patted his back to help get the water out of his lungs. "Did you find him?" Bakura gasped in air, his voice a strained whisper.

"Not yet." Marik sighed.

Seto moved over to Ishizu and rolled her onto her back… though the woman never really caused him any grief, but she was a thorn in his side, every time she attacked one of them, he was left to hear about it and heal them. Seto saw her as a problem that they should be rid of as soon as possible. Yes he was having thoughts on just letting her die, watch as her heart stopped and then her brain would suffocate and followed by the body dieing. It was so simple to just sit by and doing nothing and it would solve so many problems.

Seto snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at the small hand that grabbed his arm, he glanced up and his eyes widened at what he saw. Sitting before him was Joey's Sister. He remembered her from the pictures on those flyers Joey had and he had teased the human about it. "Do you know that's the Bitch… I mean the Witch, that's the Witch." Serenity said with a shake of head to correct herself and pulling his arm away from Ishizu.

Seto pulled his arm back. "I know." He mumbled and healed the Witch anyway. Marik helped Bakura to stand who was having a little trouble. The Healer helped the girl to her feet and reached out a hand and caressed her cheek. "You're Serenity." He noted that she was better looking then in the photos and looked a hell of a lot older and might he add cute and a little dirty and cold looking, but still cute.

Serenity lent forward to the Healer as the Witch coughed up water at their feet and rolled onto her side. "That's what Yugi said, but I don't know, the name seems, odd, like he made it up to get me to follow him here, not that he forced me to follow him or anything, I like him, I do." She frowned at the tall Healer moving a littler closer to him, making sure no one else heard her. "I think his not right in the head that Yugi, not at all, poor boy, I think he may need help, you know the doctor kind of help… he doesn't even believe in the Dead." She said with a sad shake of her head as if it was the most oddest thing in the world not to believe in Vampires, everyone knew they were real.

"Don't worry about him." Seto said as he took off his wet jacket and wrapped it about her shoulders for extra cover over her body.

"What are you? You're not a Vampire… And don't mistake me either, I like Yugi, he's just, well." She paused looking at the teen a few feet away, then looked back at the Healer. "He's just a little odd." She raised a questionable eyebrow towards the short teen as she pulled the jacket about herself more.

"I'm a Demon Healer and yes everyone here is odd, including you." Seto said as he turned around, it was his short diagnosis of the girl with just how she spoke. Seto didn't blame her, she had been missing for years, that was according to the papers Joey had and living with Vampires for so long and not being turned and used only for food, would drive even the sanest, person crazy.

"Oh good." She clapped her hands together and looked rather pleased with herself. "And here I thought I was the only one to think that." The Healer shook his head, she had lost it and she would need medical help once they were out of here, he knew the right people to help her, that is, if Joey would agree…

"Take your hands off me!" Yugi's voice echoed in the coven and Yami stumbled back.

"Yugi I wanted to tell you." Yami said, Seto narrowed his eyes watching and listening to see what was going on. Marik stopped inspecting Bakura for injuries that Seto may have missed to also see what was going on.

"Something this important slipped your mind?!" Yugi yelled at him backing up away from Yami and the waters edge.

Serenity stood next to Seto with worried look on her face as she watched Yugi. "But every time I tried too, I couldn't." Yami took a step forward towards his Human, who leapt backwards away from him.

"Stay where you are!" Yugi held up his hands to stop Yami from coming any closer to him, Yami stopped where he was.

"I wouldn't hurt you, I could never." Yami was sounding like he was pleading or begging, something none of the others ever saw him do before with anyone, and felt as though they shouldn't be here, it was like an invasion of their privacy.

"You did hurt me!" Yugi yelled back with tears in his eyes. "The things we did." His eyes widened, he gasped. "The things I let you do to, _me_!" He then suddenly pointed accusingly at Bakura and Marik. "Since Ryou met them and I met you… oh shit." Yugi feel to his knees on the hard rock floor, he couldn't breathe; his whole chest hurt so much from his thoughts and his own words.

Yami rushed to him kneeling down in front of him and reaching out to gently grab at his shoulders. "Please let me explain." He pleaded again to his Human.

"There is nothing to explain." Yugi hissed as his tears fell and he ripped himself away before the other could touch him and got to his feet. "I don't want to see you ever again, you lying, deceitful, creature!" Everyone saw Yami flinch as though each word had struck him physically.

Yugi turned on Bakura and Marik. "You two knew all this time and never said a word? Not one word of what you are… I even let you into my house."

"My concerns were not of you." Bakura growled, not liking the Human's attitude towards him and Marik.

"Oh that's right." Yugi retorted back. "You were too busy chasing Ryou around, no, not you, Malik."

"Leave Malik out of this!" Marik's growl came deep within his chest, his eyes instantly burned a bright crimson and the whole cavern shook, small rocks and dirt fell from the ceiling onto the ground and around them and even landing into the water with small splashes.

Bakura placed his hand onto Marik's shoulder and the cavern stopped shaking. Marik took in a breath to calm himself down, saying. "Once one of us has chosen a potential Mate, we can't interfere unless we have permission to do so… Malik and I couldn't of even touched Ryou the way we do without Bakura's consent." It was only half-truth, as that rule didn't apply to Ryou or them, the Human had been reincarnated so half the rules for such things were still valid.

"But you lied! You knew… Ryou knew as well and no one told me, before we." Yugi bit his lip he couldn't say it, he didn't want to think it, he just felt so…

"Ryou didn't know right away on what we were." Bakura said with a shake of his head, he wanted to get going and find away out, to get Ryou back and into his arms once again.

"But he knew!" Yugi's whole body shook as he yelled at them.

"Yes, we told Ryou and he accepted us for what we are." Marik said, not even Bakura and himself had seen this reaction coming from the short Human, if anything they had always thought upon meeting Yugi that he would be the most understanding of all, guess they were wrong.

"Yugi." Yami seemed to have gathered enough of himself to talk. "I knew that I should have told you and what I did was wrong on my behalf." Yami sighed as he looked away, he couldn't look at Yugi as rejection was clearly stated. Yes, the Demon Lord himself was being rejected by a mere Human, and it hurt. "I meant it when I said, I love you."

Yugi for a second looked as though he was about to give in and run into Yami's arms. "No." He shook his head and his back hit the rock wall. "I want, I want." Tears fell and Yugi bit his lip and hung his head. "Just let me go home… I don't believe in you, I don't want to see you again." He whispered, but everyone heard him clearly.

Yami felt the world stop and tilt on its axis and cave in around him; his breath had stopped dead in his throat, choking back any of his words he would speak. His first Mate in his long existence was leaving him after only a short time of knowing each other. "Yugi." Yami whispered.

Marik looked down as Bakura's hand tightened its hold on his, both sparing a glace at the other and both in their silent look, which said they were both grateful and thankful that Ryou didn't have this reaction. "Please, if you can or know of a way I can get home, I want to leave now." Yugi wanted this nightmare over, he didn't believe in any of this, it wasn't practical or logical to know or believe in such things… whatever Yami was he sure wasn't Human, but maybe a creature from hell to take his life or his soul. "I WANT TO GO HOME!" Yugi screamed at him.

Yami sighed, he should have known better and he wasn't going to force Yugi to stay if he was so frightened of him. "Marik, open a portal for him." He mumbled, Marik nodded his head and took the pendant from around Bakura's neck and threw it.

"Yugi." Seto said, thinking all this sentimental crap was a waste of time, Yami just should tell his new Mate what was to be expected of him instead of standing about begging like some Slave would for food. Yugi didn't acknowledge him at all. "Human!" Seto snapped making Yugi jump and look at him and caused Yami to growl in warning. "Take Serenity with you." The portal opened just off to Yugi's right, the Healer gave the girl a little push towards it.

"I'll walk you home Yugi, I'm Human." She reassured him rushing over and taking his hand, but Yugi pulled away and she didn't even notice it. She glanced at the Demons. "Oh if you want to get out then you'll have to use your wing thingies, my Master built this part for intruders and many have died down here, so you'll need to portal out." She frowned. "But I wouldn't fly out… use a portal safer and quicker."

"Wait!" Bakura took a step towards them feeling much better. "Where's Ryou?" Yugi didn't want to answer him, what if he was lying about Ryou knowing? Bakura saw the look and so did Marik, the Human started to walk to the portal. "Yugi please tell me where he is, if you know?"

"The last I saw of him was in the cell and he used a portal and vanished, it's what got us out as well." Serenity said. "But he looked really upset about something… so thank him for me for getting us out."

Yugi gave one last look at Yami before he walked into the portal followed by the girl and it vanished leaving the pendant on the ground.

Marik walked over and picked it up and handing it back to Bakura, who placed it around his neck and under his shirt. "Yami, you don't have to stay and help us." Marik said, offering him to go home.

"As grateful as I am for the offer, Marik." Yami said getting up to his feet. "But I don't feel like wallowing in self-pity right now." Marik, Bakura and Seto had never seen Yami look so down and weren't sure what to say, not one of them had ever been rejected by a chosen Mate before, well not Seto as he didn't have one and was never interested in getting one.

"Yami, I think it would be for the…" Suddenly out of the wall to their left two more bodies hit the water.

A few seconds later coughing came with a few splashes. "Ryou!" Marik and Bakura called out in unison when they saw just who it was and rushed into the water to help him, pulling Ryou into shallow water and looked him over for injuries or anything they had done to him that they could see with their eyes.

"He's mine!" Ishizu called getting to her feet, moving for the first time since being healed, she rushed towards them, needing to see what her magic had done to him.

Bakura pulled Ryou flush against him in a tight hug, breathing in his scent, Marik was at Ryou's back and both hands rested lightly on his shoulders. "Are you okay?" Bakura asked. "You're not…"

"Get off me!" Ryou cried out once he noticed that he was being held and not by the one he thought it was. He pulled himself away and at the same time, cut Bakura's forearm and Marik's chest with the dagger.

"Fuck! Ryou?!" Bakura growled glancing at his arm; it burnt to the point of being almost painful.

"_This isn't the place, Ryou, open a black portal, it will take us too…"_

"Shut up!" Ryou snapped at the Voices in his head as he pulled on his own hair, and it silenced them. Ishizu stopped at the waters edge watching them; the cavern was quite but for Ryou's panting. "Just, shut up!" It looked as though Ryou was about to fall to his knees as his body shook.

"Ryou?" Bakura tried to approach him again, Ryou snapped his head up and growled backing up, but he stopped as Marik was at his back. He glanced at the tanned Demon from over his shoulder. '_Remember.' _The voice hissed and everything from in his life crammed into his head at once, from the large winged beast being slaughtered in the burning town, to Demons around him slitting his throat and then bringing him back to life only to kill him again. Ryou shook his head and stumbled away from them both with shakes of his head in pure confusion, Ryou lunged at them; they only had a second to defend themselves against him, blades clanged together on impact.

"You Bastards!" Ryou yelled at them. "You took everything from me!" He pulled back for a split second and attacked both Marik and Bakura again.

"What are you talking about?" Marik growled out as he blocked a blow that would have cut his arm.

"You're nothing but murders!" Tears filled Ryou's eyes; Marik and Bakura glanced at each other not sure and confused on what Ryou was talking about. Bakura snapped furious crimsons eyes onto the Witch. She would die, Bakura broke from the fight and went for the Witch, he slid to a stop and his weapon clashed with Ryou's. "You fight me." Ryou hissed, Bakura was forced backwards, Marik rushing forward to help Bakura and both Demons were once again blocking Ryou's attack.

Their Human had placed them on the defensive side, as they didn't want to attack and hurt Ryou. They were slowly edging out of the water and onto dry land, the sound of blades rapidly hitting against each other filled the room.

Ryou was confused on why his powers were only at half strength as if some part of him was holding them back in not waiting to harm these killers, growling Ryou moved faster, they were bound to slip up.

Ishizu had to do something before they killed the Human and all would be lost. Marik gasped as he stopped his blade a few inches from running through Ryou's side, the Human glared at him angrily and changed to attack Marik, he held each Demon in the fight and forced them to defend or attack him.

No leeway, no mistakes, Ryou fought them as if he had been trained by the Demons himself or wielded weapons for years. "Ryou stop this!" Bakura growled out as Ryou's blade cut across his chest.

"I begged _you_ not to do it." Ryou hissed back, his arms working over time to land that fatal blow. "Remember?"

"We did nothing to you but love you." Marik said, blocking a blow to his thigh and another to his left side, he was really holding back, which was hard because all he knew in battle was to kill his opponent.

"Yes you did, you killed him and you killed me." Ryou doubled his efforts; he under stood now what the Voices meant when they said he hated Bakura, but something else was there and it wasn't hatred for the pale Demon.

"That's right Ryou they are responsible for everything, everything that has ever gone wrong in your life. They are to blame!" Ishizu urged him on, to kill them and once they were out of the way, she could move onto her plans. "It's okay to kill them." She hissed with a grin, Mai was slowly making her way to her Mistress's side and thankful that she had gone unnoticed by them, but she was more interested in watching then fighting.

"Shut her up!" Bakura yelled glancing at Seto and Yami for a brief second, both Demon's eyes widened in shock as they each had placed deep cuts to Ryou's side and arm at the same time. The Human stumbled backwards a little looking at his wounds for a few seconds, but then attacked them once again. "And do something, damn it!" Bakura yelled at the bystanders.

Yami grabbed the Witch to shut her up and Seto rushed over towards them, within a blink of an eye and neither one of them knew or saw how it happened but Ryou's blade had ran right through Bakura's stomach.

Ryou's crimson eyes turned back to their light brown and widened as his hands shook on the handle of the blade. "B-Bakura?"

"Bakura!" Marik rushed forward and caught the pale Demon in his arms before he could fall to the ground and helped to ease him down, forgetting about the fight for now, Ryou stumbled backwards, confused on why he had hurt the Demon he loved.

"No, it's fine." Bakura growled as he wrapped his hand about the handle. "Pull it out." Marik nodded his head and wrapped his hand about Bakura's and pulled out the dagger.

"Seto get over here!" Marik yelled out just as Seto got to them, the sound of rushing air as a black portal was opened and Ryou ran into it. Bakura shoved Seto away and clutching onto his wounded stomach he rushed after his Human, followed by Marik and the Healer.

"Move!" Yami shouted and Ishizu didn't have to be told twice as she ran for the portal, followed by the Demon Lord and Mai.

* * *

Ryou ran blindly down a dark tunnel and tripped every now and then on the uneven ground or the rock that stuck up as if waiting to trip him over. He soon stopped and fell to his knees. _'It's just up ahead, hurry now.' _The voices hissed urging him on to go deeper into the tunnel, suddenly flamed torches lit up all along the wall lighting up the tunnel and an archway further up.

"Why did I hurt him?" Ryou sobbed into his hands as he dabbled over his knees. "I didn't want to hurt him, why?"

'_It's only natural after being dead for so long, he was going to kill you.'_

Ryou glanced up at the archway. "I… I wasn't dead."

'_Yes, they killed you, isn't that reason enough to let us out?'_ The voices hissed.

"What do you have to do with this? With them killing me? Where do you fit in?" Ryou cried out as his head started to ache.

'_Order has to be restored back into the world. Now up!' _Ryou cried out in pain as he rose to his feet in hopes of the pain lessening, which it did when he started to walk.

Ryou walked through the archway and found himself in a large cavern, the area was well lit by the flamed torches around him and a massive door sat on the other side. '_You must open it.'_

"How?" Ryou asked, it was so large and there was no way that he could open it by himself, the door stood at least twenty foot high and about fifteen foot long at the bottom and looked to be made out of solid rock or cement, words Ryou couldn't read were engraved all over the edge of the door and went all the way around it.

'_Touch it.' _The voices hissed at him. _'All you have to do is touch it and it'll open.'_ Ryou walked up to it and stood about five feet from it looking it over.

Bakura and Marik froze in the archway and spotted Ryou the entire way in, how did he get so far in such a short time? But neither of them took that much interest in the room or the door their Human stood in front of. "Ryou?!" Bakura called out as he rushed forward, ignoring the pain he was in and snagged Ryou by his shoulder and spun him about to face him. "Whatever is going on I can help you get through it."

"Get away." The Human hissed pulling a dagger from Bakura's waist and with a burst of energy hit him in the chest and sent the pale Demon to the ground.

"Ryou, stop this!" Marik said from behind him, the Human spun about and was surprised that he hadn't seen the tan Demon get by him blocking him from getting to that door. "We don't want to hurt you." Marik edged in closer as Bakura got to his feet, the hit had taken him by surprise, though his body trembled and his vision blurred from loss of blood, he didn't show it.

They forced Ryou to back up to the rock wall on his right and away from the door. "Trust me, we'll help you." Bakura said holding out his bloody hand panting with effort to stay on his feet, Ryou slapped it away.

"Ryou, open the door!" Ishizu called out running into the room, glad to see that her spell was still in place.

"What?" Bakura and Marik glanced at the large door a little confused and then they realized just what they were standing in front of, Ryou dodged around them.

"Don't let him near it!" Yami called out as he grabbed the Witch and tackled her to the ground as Seto and Mai came in after him.

"Oh no, this is what Ishizu was after?!" Mai gasped backing up out into the tunnel again but could still see what was happening on the inside.

Bakura and Marik blocked the Humans way, each Demon holding a weapon, should Ryou attack them again. "Move!" Ryou yelled at them, clutching onto the dagger with both hands. "I don't want to hurt you." His eyes going from light brown to gold.

"You are hurting us." Bakura said softly. "If you open that door, then you kill us all."

"No." Ryou's voice had changed slightly. "I don't care." He cried out tears in his eyes as he lunged at them, the only way he saw to get to that door was to go through them. He swiftly slashed at Bakura cutting him across the chest and hit him with his energy. Ryou turned and attacked Marik, cutting him across his right thigh and went to cut at another part of his body, Marik blocked the blade, only to by cut across his left arm and hit in the chest with the same energy that hit Bakura.

Both Demons flew into the air for a second before sliding across the ground and coming to a stop. Marik groaned as he pushed himself up and glanced over at Bakura who was having a little trouble getting up, but managed to get to his feet only to be knocked down again as Ryou kicked him in the side. "Just stay down." He whispered, it was almost pleading Bakura to do so.

Marik growled he had had enough of this, he attacked Ryou, placing the Human on the defensive side and forced him to block each blow and each one almost knocked Ryou off his feet. "I do care." Marik growled at him, he was buying time for Bakura who seemed to be having trouble since the fall. "I care about what you're about to do."

Ryou blocked a blow and Marik was pressing down on him, the blades were close to his face as was Marik and Ryou was straining to hold them at bay. "You never cared, Marik."

"When our lives are in danger I do." Marik struck him in the shoulder with his fist and knocked the Human off his feet and onto the ground, Ryou hit the ground and swung his foot out and knocked Marik down as well.

"This will restore order to the world and things will be how it should." Ryou was on his knees and brought his dagger down, Marik blocked it on and flat on his back.

"With everything dead!" Bakura said as he ripped Ryou off Marik and shoved him away. "There would be no world left to place order too."

"Stay out of my way!" Ryou threw the dagger, Bakura moved out of the way and turned following the direction of the weapon.

"Marik!" It hit him in the chest and a ball of dark energy struck him knocking the tanned Demon to the ground.

Distracted for a split second and Bakura heard Yami and Seto call to him and that's when he felt it, his wrist was grabbed and his own dagger was driven into his side, Bakura gasped and slumped forward over his Humans shoulder. "Ryou."

"I'm not sorry." Ryou choked back a sob that part of him still didn't want to hurt them and he wasn't sure why, nothing right now made any sense to him. "You deserved this for killing my Master."

"What?" Bakura gasped again as Ryou pulled away and he fell to his knees, did his Human have all his memories back? Or was something Ishizu did to him? That Witch was going to die for this.

Ryou approached the doors again and reached out a hand only to have his hand shocked and thrown back, he stumbled backwards holding his now injured hand to his body, a shield? Ryou had no powers to get threw it unless he killed Marik. "Bakura!" Seto called out from beside Marik. "Ishizu placed him under a spell to bring his soul out that would return all his memories." Bakura glanced at him then over at Yami and saw the Witch unconscious at his feet.

Bakura pushed himself up and looked to see where Ryou had gone and found his Human nearing the doors again, Bakura's eyes widened so that meant… He understood now, he ran at Ryou and wrapped he's arms about his shoulders and pulled his back to his chest. "Ryou whatever you think happened isn't true, the Witch is using you. I would never do anything to hurt you."

Ryou stood there he didn't struggle or fight to get away; he just stood there in place and in the Demon's embrace. "Yes we killed your Master because he was dieing." Bakura's head hurt from the lack of blood and his body ached from all the wounds. "But Ryou." He turned the Human about in his arms. "You forgave me, don't you remember? You loved me as much as I loved you."

Ryou then tried to pull away; he couldn't move his legs it was like his feet were glued to the floor. He glanced at the Demon Healer beside the fallen tanned Demon, it was his doing, Ryou was no longer concerned on opening that door his attention was on the pale Demon before him. "It's as if I've just found out, you broke my heart!" Ryou went to hit him with his energy and Bakura stopped him by grabbing onto his wrists.

"And you broke mine when you died." Bakura let go of the wrist and lifted his chin up. "That was another life…"

"No." Ryou snapped at him his tears still falling and his mind and thoughts were becoming clear. "I remember… dieing and you being there." Bakura's grip loosed a little in shock, was this the real Ryou that had died in his arms? "I missed you so much." Ryou clutched onto Bakura's bloody shirt and sleeve. "But this wasn't the deal I made, this body isn't mine or it's mind, I'm its prisoner." Bakura embraced him again. "If I open that door then I can stay awake, I can bring back my Master."

"If you open that door you'll kill everyone, you'll kill Marik, Malik and me." Bakura had to keep in mind that it was nothing more then a spell on Ryou, as what was happening and being said were different from the other night when a spell had been placed on Ryou instead of Malik.

"Malik?!" Ryou said his eyes widening, Bakura always knew that his Human and Malik held something special between them, not that he minded and he had placed it down to a Human thing, since at one point in time the two had been Human. "I'm so confused, I don't know what to do?" Ryou sobbed leaning into Bakura's chest not caring about the blood or the wound.

'_It's over.' _The voices hissed venomously in his head. _'Time has run out.' _Ryou would have crumbled to his knees in pain if it weren't for Bakura holding him.

"Ryou!" Bakura called out as his Human passed out in his arms, Seto rushed over to them placing his hands on Ryou's chest and forehead… nothing happened, everything inside the Humans body was slowly coming to a stop. "He's dieing."

"Then heal him." Bakura growled.

"I can't heal him completely." Seto said with a shake of his head.

"Yes you can and you will or so help me Seto, if he dies you'll be following him." Bakura hissed not releasing his hold on Ryou.

"This is Witch magic and he can only be healed by a Witch." Bakura, Seto and Yami glanced at Ishizu, all knowing that she wasn't going to undo her spell on him. "Lets get everyone home." Seto suggested not liking being in this place one bit, he got up and walked over to help Marik.

Bakura threw his pendant and opened a portal for home, Yami picked up the Witch and slung her over his shoulder and followed the pale Demon back into the Human Realm, Seto and Marik soon followed.

Mai went to follow them, but it had closed on her and all the flamed torches went out around her, throwing her into complete darkness, two cloaked figures appeared before her, the Vampire stumbled back at the ancient powers washed over, they had their backs to her. "Master was right, there was a disturbance here, Sister." Mai backed up hoping they wouldn't notice her.

"Indeed, but everyone seems to still be sleeping."

"Master's instructions are to move the door." The taller of the two waved a hand and the door shimmered like it was under water and vanished from the cavern with a soft boom, the sound that echoed about him. "Come Vampire, my Master wishes a word with you." They turned on Mai as rocks and dirt started to crumble and cave in.

"No wait, I had nothing to do with this!" Mai screamed as they too vanished.

* * *

**TBC**

Okay for starters, in the House of Motou Ryou went on a killing rampage, but me personally I couldn't really seem him doing something like that, anyway this was close too the original, and was one hell of a long chapter, but the next one won't be as long, so **Review** please, updates will be faster as the end is a one to two chapters off. (Love, Cookies and Hugs)


	35. Chapter 35

Lost Love

It took me ages to write this chapter out, so I hope it isn't too choppy to read, because when I started and got all comfy then I would be called away. So I did the spellchecker to get that extra bit of help with grammar, but you know how great that tool is to use and said everything was fine .… So if you find any collect them all and you may win a prize, lol, anyway enjoy the chapter I know most of you have been hanging out for an update…

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, mentions of torture though not much so don't worry too much about it, but if you're not sure then just don't read… Disclaimer: … '_I own nothing_!'

**Chapter 35**

* * *

The dawn was nothing but thick fog and dark clouds that blew in from the ocean and drifted over the city and let loose it's down pour of rain, soaking everything in its path. On the top floor of the mansion, Malik slowly opened his eyes and the induced sleep he was forced into last night was wearing off. "Marik?" Malik mumbled groggily rolling onto his side and reached out a hand unconsciously to feel just where his Mate was in the bed.

His head hurt so much and it didn't help when last night's events came rushing back to him and he remembered what had happened before he was forced unconscious. "That bastard!" Malik growled cursing Bakura for what he had done, sitting up slowly and found that his body still ached and more so in his back where he still had an injured wing that would take a good few months before he could use it again and even more so to be able to fly again.

Malik got to his feet and glanced out the bedroom door with a worried frown as the air in the house was filled with a mix of rain and blood. Malik abandoned the thought of putting on a shirt and grabbed his jeans, pulling them on and fled the room as fast as he could. His worried thoughts were now on Marik and Bakura hoping that it wasn't their blood he could smell or Ryou's and hoped that they had gotten the Human back.

The front door to the mansion burst open with a gust of rain and wind, Bakura stumbled in with an unconscious Ryou in his arms; he had refused anyone else to carrying his Human, even though he was struggling with his own injuries.

Seto followed holding Marik about his waist and to his side as the tanned Demon could barely stand on his own feet. The wounds that Marik had had stopped bleeding a little while ago, but his wounds were still open. The Healer had his work cut out for him today, three heals and he had to get the Witch to help him as well, a task that seemed damn near impossible. "Lets get you two healed." Seto said as he started to lead Marik to his room, they all needed a change of clothing and to dry up, for when they had stepped back into the Human Realm to find it raining, even though Seto had used his powers to get them all back to the house, it didn't stop them from getting wet.

"Marik!" Malik stumbled a little down the stairs ignoring the pain he was in to get to his injured Mate. "What happened to you?" He clutched onto Marik while trying to see over his wounds, pulling away the torn up shirt to see just how bad it was. Malik found every cut, grazing and bruise; the wound on Marik's chest was cut to the bone. _Those bastards_, Malik growled as tears filled his eyes, how dare they wound his Mate, but he was thankful all the same as his Mate had come back to him in one piece.

"I'm alright." Marik reassured him with a soft caress to his cheek, Malik was not reassured at all, he jerked at the touch, surprised to find Marik's hand so hot, could Marik be running a fever because of his wounds? Seto walked off heading to his room; they were going to be a few minutes, as Malik would fuss over them first and Seto would let him, a lot had happened in the last few days and last night had been the worst of it… so he hoped.

"Marik you're such an idiot." Malik mumbled leaning in and rested his head on Marik's shoulder and hugged him tightly, if the weapon used had hit Marik just a little to the left, then he would have been dead, he wondered if Marik knew just how close he had come to dieing.

Marik ignored the comment and could feel the worry coming from Malik and pulled him closer, he was having trouble thinking straight, his vision was blurred and his head hurt as much as his body did. "As promised we got Ryou back." Marik said glancing over at Bakura who was carrying Ryou into the room that Seto used for such times. He wasn't going to tell Malik that Ryou had been the reason why they were so injured.

"Ryou?!" Malik turned and rushed after the pale Demon and the Human; stopping at the door when Marik wasn't following him, glancing over his shoulder to see him lean against the wall heavily looking exhausted and in pain… there was something more wrong with Marik then just the wounds.

"I'm fine." Marik mumbled knowing just how much Malik would want to see Ryou and Bakura.

Malik rushed back to him anyway, "let me help you," He wrapped his arms about his Mate looking him over, the wounds had to be painful and also Marik's skin burned so much… Malik's eyes widened as it dawned on him why. "You need to feed." He stepped back, he needed to keep his distance from Marik just for a while, until he knew that Ryou was alright.

"It's you that should be resting." Marik protested and Malik ignored him as he walked with a small limp into the kitchen and grabbed out packs of blood from the fridge for Marik and Bakura, it would help with healing them faster. He passed one to Marik, he was reluctant to drink it, all Malik had to do was give him a look and Marik was drinking it down without another word and found afterwards that he didn't feel as bad or in as much pain.

Bakura placed his unconscious Human onto the metal table and noticed Ryou was shivering from his wet clothes. He looked so cold; his lips were tinted blue along with his skin. Bakura pulled out his knife and cut away Ryou's clothes from his body and covered him over with a towel, dried him, after wards he threw it onto the bench and pulled out a sheet from the cupboard and covered Ryou over to help keep him warm, he soon stopped shivering.

Seto walked into the room followed by Marik and Malik. "Ryou!" Malik rushed forward to the table looking him over and glanced at Bakura then Seto. "Is he going to be okay?" He ran his finger lightly through Ryou's damp hair as if to soothe him and reached for the Human's hand. "He's like ice," Malik frowned when he brought the cold hand to his cheek; even Ryou's fingers were stiff when Malik entwined their fingers together and pulled the sheet up a little more over Ryou's body.

Marik took the blood pack from Malik and held it out to Bakura, who out right refused it; he also pushed the Healer away from him when the Demon tried to heal him. "Save what energy you have for Ryou." Bakura growled out. "I'm fine, I don't need healing or those stupid bags." Marik glared at him knowing Bakura had always had a problem with the emergency packs as did he.

"Bakura you have to be healed to stop the bleeding," Marik said from the other side of the table and the two locked eyes, Seto backed off; he wasn't going to force Bakura as he was and had always been stubborn at the best of times.

"Well, it depends." Seto said answering Malik and getting what he needed out before he started on repairing what the Witch had done to the Human. Though it would be a losing battle as anything he would try would be useless without the Witch's help.

Malik turned his eyes from Marik and Bakura who were in a glare battle of a silent conversation, over the pale Demon getting some form of healing. "On what?" Malik asked in reply to what Seto had said, not liking how it sounded at all, but one thing he was glad about was that Ryou was still breathing and alive, he couldn't have asked for more.

"Bakura!" Marik cried out in alarm as the pale Demon collapsed to the floor suddenly, they both rushed over to the other side of the table. "Heal him now." Marik growled out, Bakura had been stabbed twice and with the other cuts, he would have lost a lot of blood and was the most injured from the fight. Seto knelt down and placed his hands on Bakura's chest and forehead.

Bakura's bruises and cuts healed up as if they were never there, and when Seto was done he picked up the pale Demon from off the floor and carried him over to armchair and placed him down to rest there until he would wake up, he knew that Bakura wouldn't want to be too far away from Ryou. "You're so stubborn." Marik whispered to the unconscious Bakura and understood at the same time on why he had refused the healing in the first place.

"You never answered me." Malik said to Seto from beside Bakura, seeing his Mate, lover and Human so injured was hard for him that it was heartbreaking.

"Malik." Marik said as he straightened up looking at his Mate, though he tried to hide the pain he was in, he couldn't hide the exhausted look that showed on his face. "The only one that can save Ryou is your Sister."

"What?" Malik sat down on the armrest as if he was boneless, Bakura was right next to him unmoving, the half Demon was silent for a bit, there was no way that his Sister would heal Ryou without a price that Malik didn't think he could pay, he glanced at the Human, but if it was for Ryou then anything she asked for was nothing too big, he had made up his mind.

"Malik." Marik tried to get his attention and failed, he tired again. "Malik, my love." He looked up this time as Marik tilted his Mate's chin up to look at him better and making sure that Malik heard him. "I won't let anything happen to Ryou."

"How Marik?" Malik shook his head as tears filled his eyes and his hope for having Ryou at their side once again seemed so far out of his reach. "You can't heal and the only one who can…" Malik trailed off and looked away when Marik had pulled his hand back.

Malik was right, he had no powers to save Ryou, sure they had said that Marik had the ability to be a Healer and be a Fighter, a quality that was rare to see in one Demon, even though he was equally matched if not a little stronger then Bakura in power wise, he could self heal… all Marik really knew how to do was find loopholes and ways out of situations.

"Where is she?" Malik asked snapping the older Demon from his thoughts. "My Sister, where is she?" Malik asked again, Marik twitched glancing at Seto, he didn't want Malik near that Witch.

"Yami took her right to the basement." Seto said as he moved to heal Marik and found he had done it himself, though his wounds were still a little open, they had stopped bleeding completely now.

Malik was still recovering from the injuries his Sister had caused him, he stood up on shaky legs, he had over done it, coming downstairs upon their arrival and then walking to the kitchen and back again, there was no way he was going to make it to the basement on his own.

Marik stood up in order to help his Mate, "Malik." Seto said, Marik wasn't in the condition to helping anyone. "Whatever you plan on doing you better do it quickly, Ryou's fading fast." Malik nodded his head and recoiled when Seto approached them and wrapped his arms about him and placed the half Demons arms around his shoulder.

"What are you doing?!" Malik tried to shove him away; Marik growled never had he liked anyone touching his Mate especially when he was so vulnerable and it bothered him even more then usual.

"I'm helping you, you want to see your Sister?" Malik stopped his moving about and nodded his head, "Then I'll help you, since I'm the only one here that can keep her under some control." Seto snapped his ice blue eyes to Marik's darker ones. "And save the threats Marik, you'll have your Mate back unharmed."

"I had better, Healer." Marik snarled watching the two leave the room, he glanced down at Bakura, then back at the door… wait a minute.

Malik gasped the pain was making itself known now that the potion that Bakura had given him under Seto's instructions was truly wearing off, his legs gave out from under him and Seto picked Malik up off his feet and into his arms and carried him through the kitchen. "Hey!" Marik snapped as he stormed into the kitchen following them. "Take your hands off him!" Seto instantly placed Malik onto his feet as Marik pulled his Mate into his arms and away from the Healer. "You're implying that I can't take care of my own Mate?!" Marik seethed at Seto, who backed off with his hands raised to show that he was no threat. "Injured or not or even dieing, I can take care of him myself." Marik snapped viciously and stormed passed the Healer almost knocking him off his feet.

Seto sighed, even though the pair were already Mated and with what was happening around them, the sway of the moon and the Mating season still had their cruel grips on all of them, the time was to close for any of them to slip up now with each other, one wrong move and they would be tearing each other apart, normally they all would have gone their separate ways until it was all over… Damn this Mating Season.

"Ishizu!" Malik said as he was placed down onto his feet, but his Mate's arms were still wrapped about him to support him.

The Witch was chained to the wall and she rested on her knees as it was as far as the chains would allow her to sit. "So they finally let you come to see me one last time before they kill me." She raised her head and glared at him, her lips still swollen and dried blood from Bakura pulling her teeth out.

"No, I'm not here to say good bye." Malik removed his Mate's arms from around his waist and moved forward, hearing a growl of protest from Marik and ignored it. "And I have no doubt that you will die." Malik stopped before her, looking down as she glanced up at him.

"He's dieing isn't he?" She grinned at him, "How ironic that the Human should be dieing at my hands once again." Malik shook his head and fell to knees before her and grabbed onto her shoulders, Marik stepped forward worried the Witch may try something; Seto stepped off the last step having the same thoughts as Marik.

"You can save him, undo the spell." He stared right into her eyes his pain forgotten for now.

"No, if I die then so does he." She giggled a little, Malik shook his head, had everything that happened gone right to her head? He thought so, "If I don't get him in this life time then I'll get him in the next one or the one after that, but sooner or later I'll have what I want."

"Sister." Malik had said in such a tone that the Witch had stopped her giggling and looked at him as if she was paying attention to him. "If I spare you, will you save Ryou?"

"Are you making a deal with me, Malik?" She was serious now this had gotten her attention.

"No," Marik snapped, both siblings ignored him as if he wasn't even in the room.

Malik nodded his head, "yes."

"You'll give me anything I want in return if I save your Human? Anything at all I ask for?" She narrowed her eyes at him watching for any tell tail signs that he maybe deceiving her.

"Malik don't do it." Marik warned him as he rushed forward to stop his Mate from making a foolish mistake.

Again Malik nodded his head, "anything you ask."

"Of you?" Hissed the Witch, this couldn't have gotten any better, things were still looking up and the gods truly did favor her and Fate was at her command, everything was falling at her feet.

"Yes." The simple word left Malik's lips.

"Done! I'll save your Human, Malik." The Witch threw her head back and started to laugh loudly.

Marik was to late as he pulled Malik to his feet and away from the Witch. "What have you done?!" Marik snapped at him ignoring the cry of pain he caused when moving Malik so roughly.

"Anything I can to save Ryou." Malik shot back.

"Do you realize what you have done, Malik?!" Marik shook him enough to make his Mate whimper in pain from his firm grasp.

"It doesn't matter, Marik." Malik reached up a hand and caressed Marik's cheek lovingly, his threats before to make the Witch find Ryou wouldn't work for this situation. "Whatever she asks of me, I'm prepared to give it to her." Perhaps Malik had known all along before he came down here to ask his Sister to save his beloved Human and that he would make this deal with her, to keep the Witch away from the ones he loved for good, even if the price was unfairly high and he would be the one to suffer, it would be for the best.

"Not like this, Malik." Tears had filled Marik's eyes, he knew what she would ask for and he wasn't prepared to give him up. "There is always a way."

"A chance Marik I'm not willing to take." Malik sighed and lowered his hand from Marik's cheek to his chest and could feel the rapid heartbeat under the palm of his hand. Malik glanced up and still saw that Marik was furious and sad on why he had done this. "I would rather have paid this price and knowing Ryou was alive, then living here and grieving his death." Malik took a step forward and nuzzled into Marik's neck and wrapped his arms around him, Marik wrapped his arms about his Mate tightly and glared at the still laughing Witch… she would still die by his hands.

That smirk was still in place on the Witches lips as she walked into the Healers room and saw the Human on the table and the pale Demon in the chair, one unconscious and the other on the brink of death. Ishizu walked up to the table and picked Ryou's left hand up by the wrist and lifted it, only to drop it and watch it fall to the table then slid off and hung lifelessly out at his side, she giggled a little amused and did it again, it was as if he was already dead, the arm was a little stiff and cold, suddenly she was on the ground holding her stinging cheek and glanced up to see Marik placing Ryou's arm back onto the table and at his side. "Touch me again you filth and I'll let him die."

"Then you'll die as well." Marik hissed his hand on his hip and over his dagger, he had to control himself for now and he would kill her once she was done healing Ryou.

"Get out and take the trash with you." She pointed at Bakura, Marik growled at her and glanced at Seto sending him a warning glare that if anything happened to Ryou in his absence then they would all die.

"We need the space, everything will be fine." Seto said, Marik walked over to Bakura and picked him up off the chair and into his arms and headed to the door and stopped waiting for Malik, who lent over Ryou and kissed him on the lips.

Ishizu snorted and rolled her eyes, Malik pulled away to follow Marik. "Oh Malik dearest." Ishizu called to him, Malik stopped in the threshold and glanced over his shoulder. "Don't go too far, you belong to me now."

Marik growled biting his tongue and lead his Mate from the room without a word.

* * *

Later that afternoon Bakura woke up, finding himself naked and clean in his bed and room. Bakura sat upright looking around, he remembered placing Ryou on the table not to long ago, why was he up here? "That Bastard!" Bakura hissed noticing that his wounds had been healed; he hadn't wanted Seto to exhaust himself with healing him when Ryou needed the energy more, when he had passed out then the Healer used that opportunity to heal him.

Bakura got up out of bed and grabbed the gray slacks that hung slightly out of the draw of his dresser, pulling them on and fled the room and headed downstairs to the Healers room and where he had placed Ryou last.

Bakura slowed his walking down when he reached the bottom floor of the house, seeing the door closed he stopped in front of it and went to push the door open and found it wouldn't budge at all, taking a step back he realized Seto was still inside. "They have been in there almost all day." Bakura glanced off to his right, the doors of the living room were wide open and sitting on the couch inside was Marik.

Bakura frowned at the door for a second and then approached the living room and stopped in the threshold watching Marik who was looking out the windows on the other side of the room, chin rested in his palm and his elbow rested on the armrest and his back almost to Bakura. "So you don't know what's going on?"

"They're healing him." Marik mumbled, Bakura's frown deepened as he walked into the room and walk around the coffee table to get a better look at Marik or have Marik look at him.

"They?" Bakura asked and raised his eyebrow, he thought that Seto would be the one to heal his Human, who else did the Demon Healer get to help him? Bakura froze on the spot and sucked in a deep breath upon seeing a tear roll down Marik's cheek and suddenly it was wiped away just as quickly as it had fallen. "Marik." Bakura stepped around the coffee table more and reached out to touch Marik on the shoulder. "Are you…"

"Ishizu." Marik hissed out with some much malice in his tone and snapped his head about and glared at the pale Demon before him. "She was the only one that could heal Ryou, apparently." He turned his glare back to the windows.

Bakura shook his head confused, "What happened?" Anything with that Witch's name in the same sentence as Ryou's was never a good thing. Marik snorted and said nothing, but just stared out the windows, Bakura fell on his knees in front of Marik and placed his hand on his knee. "Marik, what happened?" It was rare to see Marik so upset and Bakura was dreading that something terrible had happened while he was unconscious.

"He's leaving me." Marik mumbled almost choking on his own tears.

"What? Who?" Bakura's mind fought to process what Marik was talking about, and hoped that he hadn't meant Ryou?

"Malik." Marik snapped and Bakura pulled away wide eyed, there would be no way that Malik would leave Marik... "Malik made a deal with his Sister to save Ryou and you know as well as I do how this will end."

How could Malik have been so foolish as to do something so stupid, "I'm sure there is a way out of it." Bakura tried to put him at ease.

"There is." Marik turned his head and glared at the Healers door. "When she comes out, I'm going to kill her." Marik looked at Bakura again. "I'm not letting her take him from me."

"Where is Malik now?" Bakura asked, how did things fall apart so fast? His mind was spinning with just his own thoughts that it made him dizzy.

"He wanted to get some fresh air." Marik glanced out the windows.

Bakura lent up still on his knees and cupped Marik's cheek with one hand and frowned at the heat that the tanned Demon's body was producing, he was practically burning up, this was not good if tonight was the full moon, but that was a few more nights away, what was going on? "Marik are you alright?" Bakura asked, pushing his thoughts of Malik aside for now, as the half Demon wouldn't be too far away.

"No." Marik's voice was so strained as a few more tears fell and he wiped them away, placing one knee onto the couch Bakura lifted himself up and hugged Marik tightly. "That bitch will take him away and I'll never see him again." Marik growled his eyes turned a dark crimson and his fangs lengthened. "He's my Mate!" He snapped. "She has no right." He raged out.

"Marik." Bakura tilted the tanned Demon's chin up, he couldn't stand to see Marik like this, not when it was himself that wanted to fall apart in his worry over Ryou. "Have you gone into Heat?" He asked and Marik looked away, the only reason they called it that was because each and every Demon would burn up at an alarming rate as if one would have a seriously high fever and turned the most gentile creature into a rampaging sex starved beast looking for anything to bed-down with for a week.

"So what if I have." Marik snapped. "It's not like I have a Mate now to take, thanks to that woman." It was to late for Marik to go into a Self-Hibernation and Bakura could not satisfy Marik's need as Marik had never been able to satisfy him over the years of Ryou's absence.

Bakura shook his head, he wouldn't lose Malik not if he could help it, "Everything will work out, we'll make it work." They both turned their heads when the door opened and Ishizu stepped out followed by Seto. Bakura was the first to move and rushed towards them. "How's Ryou?" He asked worriedly as Marik soon followed.

"He should be…" Seto stumbled backwards against the wall and the Witch landing against him as Bakura shoved his way past them to get into the room and to Ryou. "Fine." Seto hissed out as he pushed the Witch off him.

"Quit shoving me!" She snapped walking out of the room and stopped dead in her tracks as she came face to face with Marik, who forced her to back up again into the room she had just came out of.

"He looks like he's just sleeping." Bakura marveled as he looked Ryou over closely and found all wounds gone.

"Because he is." Seto said, watching Marik and Ishizu.

"He'll be okay then?" Marik asked not taking his eyes of the Witch and all that was running through his head was that she had ruined everything once again.

"He'll live I guarantee it." Seto sighed, he was so exhausted from over using his powers and knew the Witch was as well as she had done most of the work undoing the spell she had placed on the Human. The Healer had a pretty good idea what was going through Marik's head as he had been there in the basement and had heard what was said between Malik and the Witch. "He should be waking soon." He added.

"Get out of my way." Ishizu demanded Marik; she was too tired and wanted a place to rest before she left with Malik, she had nothing in her to fight now.

"Do you really think that I would let you walk out of here?" Marik growled as he forced her to back up until her rear end hit the table Ryou lay on. "Did you think I would let you walk out of here with my Mate?!" He raged at her angrily and the room shook with his power.

"We made a deal you can't break it." She snapped back at him.

"I can." Marik pulled out his dagger he would end her life here and now, anything to keep Malik at his side, his arm was grabbed onto and he was pulled back away from the Witch.

"Marik don't!" Malik pleaded, he didn't want them to start fighting in here in case Ryou got hurt.

"You want to go with her of your own free will?" Marik growled out as he pulled away from his Mate.

"No, I would never willingly leave _you_ Marik." Malik shook his head.

"Then why did you make such a deal?" Marik shot back.

"I had no choice and you know that."

"Enough!" Bakura snapped at them, knowing Marik could bring the house down around them if they continued their argument. "Now isn't the time."

"Ishizu." Seto said as he cleared his throat getting everyone's attention in the room. "It's been one hell of a long night and day, so I suggest before the killing starts that we all get some form of rest." Marik shot him a glare. "Of course, Ishizu you'll find the bed and chains comfortable in the basement and more to your taste." She scuffed at him never taking her eyes off Marik, but the idea of sleep was the best thing that she had heard all day.

"Just as long as you keep that monster restrained from killing me in my sleep." She threw her nose up in the air and marched out of the room, followed closely by Seto.

"How the hell did that happen?!" Marik said all flustered, he was meant to kill her not have her sleeping in the same house. "DAMN IT!" He yelled feeling as though he had lost in some way.

Bakura satisfied on what was happening with the Witch picked Ryou up off the table, sheet and all and approached Malik and Marik looking at them both. "Is Ryou going to be okay?" Malik asked, he had missed everything said about the Human.

"Seto said he's going to be just fine." Bakura said and Malik sighed in relief. "You two should get some rest as well, Malik your not recovered just yet." Bakura lent over a little, careful not to drop Ryou and kissed Malik on the lips. "Marik needs to rest as well."

"I know." Malik turned to Marik placing his hand in his and timidly smiled up at him. "Since this may just very well be our last afternoon and night together." The words had barely left Malik's lips when Marik grabbed him and pulled him into a deep hug and kiss, the two then vanished from the room and the faint sound of the door upstairs closing could be heard from where Bakura stood on the bottom floor.

He carried Ryou upstairs; passing Marik and Malik's bedroom door the two would be in there for some time as Marik had placed up his shield about the door to stop anyone from getting inside. He continued to his own room, placing Ryou down on his bed and covered him over and then closing and locking the bedroom door, he crawled in bedside Ryou and waited for him to wake up.

* * *

**TBC**

This seemed to be a pointless chapter but at the same time a set up for the next one… anyway **Review** and I'll update when I can, (Love and Cookies)


	36. Chapter 36

**Caster**: It frustrates me to no end that you review me and I can't reply back, GRRR, I like to reply and answer any questions you may have and want to ask and especially to thank you for reading and give/pointing out things in my chapters, SO once again if you are going to review make it so I can reply back, (Hugs).

Don't go anywhere **Caster**, I have your answers right here, yes I do a spell-check and I edit myself as well as another 'aka' my friend. Yes, I have such a hard time to remember which 'your' and 'you're' to use, I'm working on it, though I'm no professional author or editor. As for the House of Motou, I'm saying if you are game enough to read it, then go ahead, but do so at your own risk, it was my first story ever and I like to think that I have greatly improved since then, but I'm not so sure about Demons of the Night, and YES I'll be re-writing it soon and posting it and YES, it maybe well over 30+ chapters.

**Mystralwind**: Another happy birthday from me and hoped you had a great day! (hugs)

To all my Readers: I always appreciate your support and input on my chapters, without you guys or this site, which I stumbled on one afternoon, I may have never started writing and to which I can say writing has become my addiction ever since.

OMG! I'm so getting close to ending this soon, not sure on the chapters, but I've been saying this for that last few chapters now, lol, so don't mind me. Oh, there was a reason for the last chapter, O.O I worked it out a few hours later, slow I know, but hey its been like that all week… enjoy the chapters.

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, but if you're not sure then just don't read… Disclaimer: … '_I own nothing_!'

**Chapter 36**

* * *

The room was dark and silent but for the light snoring of the occupants of the room, soft knocking came on his bedroom door Bakura lifted his head up and glanced about, spotting the clock on the nightstand and groaned, the time had just ticked over to midnight.

Bakura grumbled, not because he was woken up but because Ryou hadn't woken up yet, he opened the door to find Seto waiting for him. "What?" Bakura mumbled as he stepped out side his bedroom and closed the door and lent on it.

"I'm going out in the morning and won't be around to give this to Malik, he'll need it." Seto passed Bakura a small case that held about four bottles of the same looking potion as he had given Malik before.

"I don't think sleep is what they need right now." Bakura raised an eyebrow at the Healer, he would have also asked what the Healer was up to not be around in the morning, but remembering what time of the year it was and what the Healer would be doing, he thought better of it then to ask.

"It's only for the pain he is in and will be in when Marik is done with him." A knowing smirk crept onto the Healer's lips. "His wing after all was broken and he is still recovering from it."

Bakura nodded his head and turned about to walk back into his room when Seto stopped him again. "A word before you vanish for a week." Bakura grunted and placed the case in his room and stepped back out and slowly followed Seto along the hallway and downstairs.

Bakura made a point to eavesdrop at Marik's bedroom door and found _not_ a sound could be heard, strange considering what _they_ would be doing. "About Ryou." Seto said.

"Your words exactly were 'he should be waking soon.' I've been waiting all afternoon and most of the night." Bakura growled out as he and the Healer reached the bottom floor.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Seto said walking into the kitchen and Bakura flicked on the lights. A habit he had picked up and seemed he couldn't drop it because it was something that Ryou and Malik had always done and Seto ignored the fact.

"You said everything was fine," Bakura walked to the fridge and opened it up. "You choose now to come and tell me hours afterwards."

"I had the Witch to lock up and you were gone, I presumed you were busy." The Healer mumbled and then continued when Bakura gave him a look. "We were able to place what Ishizu had woken up in Ryou back to were it came from, but he had gained consciousness half way through."

"What?" Bakura turned from the open fridge to glare at him.

"It wasn't so much as Ryou's soul that was woken up, but his Dragon side that lays dormant within him, he had even begged us to leave him be so he could be with you as he held all the past memories." Seto sighed still feeling drained and tired, but the reason he was up now and not sleeping, was because he had to get up and get something to drink himself and use the bathroom.

"I know." Bakura shut the fridge. "I felt the Dragon there beyond the flesh and bones and eyes of the Human." He sighed and lowered his voice. "It's not like I could have missed him there." He sat down on one of the stools, watching as Seto checked the locks on the basement door, Bakura having the feeling of something tightening in his chest asked. "So what happened?"

"I had so much trouble sealing him away, he fought me every step." Seto paused his hand on the door handle. "That Witch had done so much damage… I can reverse it if you wish the old Ryou back?"

Bakura just stared at the countertop not sure what to say, here he was trying to get back his long dead Mate, something he had been doing for centuries and instead had fallen completely in love with someone similar in looks, but very different in personality, was it wrong to move on in a way that he could be extremely happy with what he had now? When his lost Mate had surfaced through nothing more then cheap magic of the Witch, he had seemed so sad as if Bakura had been the one that had killed him and placed him into the Human body that was sleeping peacefully in his bed right now.

He could change all that and have his old Mate back, but what of the Human he was currently in love with? "Due to having that trouble in sealing him away, he may surface from time to time, though I'm hoping he won't and shouldn't." Seto sighed as he saw the depressed and unsure look the pale Demon had, he walked over to Bakura and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Ryou died so long ago and he more then anyone else here would have wanted you to be happy, no matter what." Seto removed his hand and walked around the counter. "The Human in your bed, loves you for who you are, even though I have no idea why, but he does, and rightfully he has been here longer and it was magic that brought that side out in him."

"Is it wrong to move on?" Bakura glanced up at him, though he may not have gotten on with Yami, but he did get on quite well with Seto and he wasn't such a bad guy once you got passed his attitude of _'I'm better then everyone.'_

"Don't mistake what happened wasn't real or that your past and present Ryou are separate, they are the same and in the one body." Seto smirked lightly.

Bakura got up and flicked out the lights and left the room, going back upstairs to his room. He needed to talk to Marik in helping him to make this decision, but knew he couldn't right now, but whatever choice he made he was sure that Marik and Malik would accept it no matter what, the problem was making the right one.

He would sleep on it until Ryou woke up, his patience for waiting were starting to wear thin.

* * *

The next day in the early afternoon hours, in the room next door to Bakura's, where a clock shone the three digits on it's face of 2:34 pm, lay on the floor upside down and the nightstand that it normally sat on was laying a few feet away, clothes thrown about the floor and on the furniture, the curtains were still drawn closed blocking out the sun.

When consciousness began to waken his other senses of hearing and feeling… Feeling more so of a very comfortable and familiar weight on top of him, Marik had draped himself over him. Malik at times wondered where he started and Marik ended, their bodies so tangled together that even for him it was hard to tell what belonged to who. It was hard when he was on the brink of sleep and reality that with the Demon so close to him and curled up on him so protectively, that Malik couldn't tell if he was still dreaming or awake.

Times like this Malik liked the most, reality or not, he was sound asleep as even deep breaths from Marik washed over his bare chest and the body heat to keep him warm, both snuggled down under the covers. Marik was in full swing of the Mating Season and as soon as they had started, Malik was too.

Malik stared at the ceiling, one hand was entangled with Marik's and his other hand was laying on Marik's shoulder blade. Malik had been in many seasons with Marik and this one seemed more different then the others somehow; oh Marik was still his relentless self as always and pushed Malik to his limits of stamina. Marik had licked, bitten, sucked, touched and kissed every part of his body and even though they had both stopped to get a little rest before they both started again, Malik was still tingling all over from Marik's burning touches.

What did Marik see in him that was so precious that he had abandon the possibilities of future Mates? There were acceptations though for Ryou and Bakura in their relationship. Why did Marik keep such a Mate that was weaker and had been Human at one point when he had someone like Bakura to start with? And now Malik had ruined what they had with each other… he had made a deal with the Witch that claimed to be his Sister that he couldn't even remember or all the important people that had been in his life back when he had been Human. All Malik remember of his life as a Human was nothing but darkness and blinding pain, then, it was all gone the pain the fever and in its place was Marik, and Malik had never been happier to spend his days by Marik's side no matter what danger lurked around every corner for them. Malik had saved Marik just as much as Marik had saved him.

Ishizu, Malik frowned turning his head glancing at the locked bedroom door, which caused his lips to press against Marik's forehead. She would be more then happy to pull him out of Marik, Bakura and Ryou's loving embrace and into a cold and lonely world where he would be once again reduced to criticizing, watchful eyes and a life with no meaning at all and where his opinion would be completely worthless.

Maybe Seto had some kind of miracle potion that would put Ishizu into a hibernating state and dump her body into an abyss somewhere, and then he wouldn't have to worry about leaving his Mate. There was also the deep fear of their separation that their Mated bond would be broken and Marik would… _'You're slipping again.'_ Damn voice, which just happened to be awake and called itself his Subconscious, spoke up. _'Demon's don't die from such things.'_ Malik would make sure that it wouldn't happen.

Malik shut out the voice and hoped it was right, and thoughts that this was his last moments spent with Marik because of the Witch, but he had done the right thing, he knew he had. Ryou meant just as much to him as Marik did… To leave Marik right in the middle of the Mating Season was going to be the hardest and no doubt would be the most violent when it came to his Sister walking out the door with him in toe like an obedient dog… if she had them he would be dragged from the house in chains of slavery for the rest of his life.

"Malik." Marik purred in his sleep, his Mate had worn himself out and was still worn out, they had only stopped when Marik had basically passed out on top of him and they both could no longer continue; it would be like that until it was over. The last few days of the Mating Season, Malik would be rendered back to his Human form while he would be resting in Recovery and in the safety of his Mate's arms, but since he wasn't going to be at his Mate's side for that, he would be Human in his Sisters company, something new that now placed a terrified feeling within him, he had never been in his Human form in front of anyone but Marik, not even Bakura or Ryou, this would give his Sister ample of opportunity to do whatever she wanted with him and have complete power over him.

Malik clutched onto Marik a little more, he wasn't complaining at all about what he had to go through with Marik at this time of year, in fact he loved it and had always looked forward to spending time with each other, but what was about to happen to them? He loved his Mate so much and would do anything for him, though he was only a half Demon, Malik still felt the effects of the Mating Season like all Demons, but not as badly as those who were full Demons such as Marik and Bakura.

Malik was half Demon so there for he was able to get up and leave his Mates side to eat, drink and showers were always necessary, and it gave him a chance to stretch his legs and return before his Mate would wake up and start all over again.

Malik was slowly kneading parts of Marik's back, under his wings, in between them, his side, hips and shoulders. It would be for the best that he left while Marik was still asleep, he didn't want to say goodbye to Marik… it just seemed to final for him and he would meet up with his Mate again at some point in the future, right? Heaving a sigh he knew that Marik wouldn't have had enough to last him through the remainder of the Season, Malik only hoped that Bakura and hopefully Ryou could handle Marik for him… he was going to be struggling enough with his own need, and putting up with the Witch at the same time was going to be hell.

Malik placed a lingering kiss to the top of Marik's head and took in his scent one last time and without moving or disturbing Marik too much, wriggled his way out from under the tanned Demon's body, glad when his Mate mumbled something and rolled over in his sleep, his large wings followed, one tucked in under him while the other wing lay over his side and Marik settled back down into his deep sleep. Malik walked into the bathroom and closed the door to take his shower.

Soon Malik was dressed and had packed a bag with a few of his things in it. Even though he feared what might be in store for him and more so the fact that he may never see Marik again, he wouldn't be a coward and try to hide from the Witch and his deal.

Malik lent over the bed and placed a lingering kiss to Marik's lips and pulled back slightly. "I'll miss you my love." Malik held in a sob and fled the room.

Marik snapped his eyes open and growled at the closing door, he hated when Malik left his side when he was needed here in bed.

* * *

In Bakura's room Ryou was slowly waking to the pale Demon's worry and delight. "Ryou?" Bakura moved so he was looking down at his Human, who was tucked under his covers with a sheet that Bakura had wrapped about his body when Seto had healed him.

"Hmm, my head." Ryou lifted his hand up and placed it against his forehead, the dull ache made itself known.

"I can get you something for it." Bakura whispered as he brushed Ryou's white hair from his eyes.

"No, it's not that bad, it's just… Malik!" Ryou snapped his eyes open and sat up, Bakura leapt back a little giving him room and watched as Ryou got up out of the bed and snatched up a pair of Bakura's pants. "Malik was hurt and at Yugi's place." Ryou had pulled on the jeans as he was running out the door.

"Wait! Ryou!" Bakura was up like a shot and was after him, this wasn't what he had in mind, for what he did have in mind was maybe getting started on his own Mating with Ryou.

Ryou was down the stairs and stopped half way down, when he saw Malik and his Sister at the front door. Bakura almost ran into him and spotted Malik and the Witch also. "What the hell?" The Demon growled and Malik turned glancing up at them with tears in his eyes and a smug look on the Witch's lips.

"Malik?!" Ryou rushed down and threw his arms about Malik's neck. "I'm so glad that you're okay, you were so hurt." He pulled back looking Malik over more closely, relieved to see him looking like his normal self again.

"The wonders of a Demon Healer." Malik gave him a small sad smile and now he wished that he had died there on the floor of Yugi's home, the emotional hurt he was feeling was suffocating, it hurt everywhere inside him and it took his breath away.

"Are you…" Ryou frowned at the backpack Malik had over his shoulder, "Are you leaving?" He then glanced at Ishizu.

"Malik made a deal with me." Ishizu said crossing her arms over her chest, and glanced to her right as Yami came out of the kitchen to see what was going on.

"For how long?" Ryou turned his worried look back onto Malik, Ryou's heart sped up with nervousness, the half Demon looked away unable to answer.

"For good." The Witch said. "Malik won't ever be coming back." Bakura growled at her in warning not to rub it in, but his mind was working over time on how to stop this from happening… damn it, Marik must be dead to the world to miss this or let it happen. Bakura thought as he glanced up the stairs behind him.

"But, what about Marik?" Ryou shook his head as he clutched onto Malik's arm the other hand on his side and it didn't seem that Ryou would let go of him any time soon. "What about Bakura and I." Malik's heart was now in his throat and threatened to choke him. "I wanted to get to know you better." Tears had gathered in Ryou's eyes and he trembled. "Don't go Malik, stay."

"Ryou it's not as easy as that." Bakura mumbled placing a hand on the Human's shoulder gently, he was close to tears himself.

Malik cupped Ryou's face and ran a hand through the Human's hair and stepped in closer so that they were flush against each other. "Take care of them for me Ryou, they're going to need it." Malik smirked a little as he glanced at Bakura then back at Ryou. "They aren't as strong as they make out to be."

"I won't replace you, Malik." Ryou bowed his head and shook it as his tears fell free, then rested his forehead against Malik's shoulder. "I can't do what you do, you know Bakura and Marik better than me."

"You will also know them in time." Malik pulled back and lifted Ryou's chin up. "You'll do a fine job."

"Lets go Malik, I fulfilled my part of the deal now it's your turn." Ishizu said getting sick on the mushy bullshit they were saying, no one loved anyone as much as they were putting on. She smirked as an idea hit her, it would be her farewell gift to them.

"Don't cry Ryou." Malik brushed the tears from the Human's cheek with a thumb and kissed him on the lips. "I love you too and I'll see you again."

Ryou gave him a small smile and reluctantly let him go stepping aside as Bakura now stood in his place and pulled Malik into his arms and kissed him. "Take good care of Ryou." Malik whispered to him.

"I will and I thank you Malik for what you have done for me, for Ryou and us." Bakura kissed him again on the lips and then whispered in his ear. "Marik and I will find a way to get you out of this." He pulled back to stare into Malik's tearful eyes. "Be strong for me."

Malik nodded his head and stepped back away from them clutching onto his backpack strap ready to leave. Ryou suddenly cried out holding his head on both hands and fell to his knees.

"Ryou?!" Malik and Bakura were at his side.

"No." Ryou choked back and pulled himself free of their grip as images flashed in his mind of what he had done to Bakura and Marik, how he tried to kill them. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt anyone." Ishizu held in her chuckle, her small spell had worked, if there would always be a way to make them suffer then she would find it and make it happen.

"What?" Malik glanced worriedly at Bakura then at his Sister, had she doubled crossed him?

"Malik I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt Marik like that," he glanced at Bakura. "Or you, I don't know how it happened or why, but I'm so sorry." Ryou was up on his feet and fled the house, he couldn't stand to look at them and know what he had tried to do, he wasn't that kind of person to hurt the ones he loved.

Yami shook his head, so he wasn't the only one getting rejected by his chosen Mate.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Bakura raged at the Witch, Ryou had no recollection of the fight or he would have remembered when he woke up, instead his Human had only remembered Malik being injured.

"I did nothing." Ishizu snapped back, they always blamed her.

Bakura growled. "Don't you move!" He headed for the door. "I'll bring Ryou back."

No one saw him, no one heard him, he moved so fast and the Witch was pinned to the wall by her jaw and lifted up off her feet. "Marik?" Bakura gasped as the tanned Demon was panting, his wings out and flexed and he was naked, he turned his dark crimson eyes to his Mate, to Bakura, then back to the Witch. "Malik is mine." He growled at her and the house started to shake.

She struggled to free her face from his large hand that caused pain to shoot up through the rest of her head. "Marik let her go." Yami said walking over to them, but stopped in his tracks when Marik turned his head and savagely growled and bared his long fangs at the Demon Lord and his wings flared out to make himself look larger and more threatening. Yami stopped where he was or Marik would attack him.

"The deal is broken Witch." Marik hissed at her, as things began to fall off the walls and things fell over. The large clock that sat against the wall toppled over and smashed on the floor. "You broke it, Malik is no longer obligated to fulfill his deal with you. Say it!" Ishizu tried to shake her head no.

"Marik." Malik dropped his bag onto the floor as hope restored itself within him that he didn't have to leave.

"What are you talking about, Marik?" Bakura demanded to know.

"Do something." Yami hissed at them, the house would be destroyed if Marik kept this up.

"You broke the deal when you placed that small spell on Ryou." Marik growled out, his mind still fogged up and he trembled with effort to concentrate at the problem at hand, with Malik so close to him it was taking its toll on him. "It may have been small but I felt it!" Marik stated as he removed his hand from over her mouth and jaw and took hold about her neck.

She had hoped no one would notice what she had done, damn Marik he should have been incapacitated with his Heat and need to Mate, he shouldn't have been aware of what was going on around him, did Marik truly think of Malik as more then just something to satisfy his need? She gave him a scolding look and said nothing; it was preposterous to think that such a beast had feelings for another other than himself, well beside to kill her. Now, that was more believable that Marik came down to just kill her to keep Malik as his whore.

Malik reached out to get Marik's attention, the tanned Demon moved out of his reach. "Don't touch me Malik." He warned his Mate. "Not yet, wait." Malik pulled back and took a step back towards Bakura.

"You know what you have done, Witch." Marik growled at her.

"Marik what are you talking about?" Bakura tried again, had the Heat of Mating gone to Marik's head?

"I know." Yami said suddenly, Seto had told him what had happened in the basement, as he would be losing a clan member to the Witches. "It's an old magic law." Bakura and Malik looked at him. "If I remember correctly, if someone made a deal for something such as what Malik had made with Ishizu, then you are both then bond by such law and Ishizu can never again touch the Human in anyway, by hand or…"

"Magic." Malik breathed out glancing at his Sister, not believing that she had slipped up on something so small.

"No, that's not right." Ishizu started to struggle, Marik stepped back letting her, and if she made any move to attack Malik then he would kill her.

She fell to the floor gasping and holding her throat and glanced up at Malik with tears in her eyes. "All I wanted from you Malik was acknowledgement as your Sister." She started to sob and Marik looked down at her and sneered in disgust. "I just wanted one kind word from you." Ishizu bowed her head and her shoulder slumped, she was beaten. "You where my baby brother, until Marik came and took you away. I was lonely."

"You left Malik to die, you basically buried him alive in your under ground home, left him to die in the darkness while the sickness ravaged what was left of his body and life." Marik snarled. "You're just pissed that you got there to late and I had saved him."

"No!" She shook her head. "It was because you took him from me and I never got to see him again, you bastard." She glared at him.

"Call it a pre-emptive strike for what you did to Ryou." Marik growled at her and the house stopped its shaking without causing to much damage to the building.

Malik walked forward and knelt down in front of his Sister, Marik growled and stood right behind him. "I didn't know." He shook his head, never had Ishizu opened up to them or him in such a way. "I'm sorry to hear it all, but nothing you say will stop me from being with Marik." Malik sighed heavily when she let out another sob. "But…" Malik glanced away for a second before looking at her again. "I can try and be nicer to you if you leave Marik, Bakura and Ryou alone."

"You will?" She asked wiping away her tears.

"Malik!" Marik growled in warning for him not to make any more deals with the Witch.

"I'll be nicer to you, only if you promise, only if you leave my Mate, Bakura and Ryou alone and never come after them again." Malik said sternly, Bakura snorted and rolled his eyes, there was no way that he was going to be nice to her, Marik growled again his wings ruffled and weren't so fluffed up.

"I promise." She nodded her head.

"I still want to have you locked up until the end of the week." Yami said, everyone here would be too vulnerable and he still didn't trust her. "I'll let you go after a week."

"Good idea." Bakura smirked as he walked up and grabbed her by her arm, this meant that she would still be there if Ryou didn't come back to him, he could kill her after he came out of his hibernation. "The spell you placed on Ryou?"

"It was only meant to bring out the guilt in him for what he had done to you both." She glanced at Yami as he took her arm. "It's not a lasting spell." So Bakura still had a chance to be with Ryou for the week.

Malik watched as Yami led his Sister back to the basement, it really didn't sit well with him that his Sister had turned like that so suddenly and agreed so easily, arms wrapped about his chest and waist. "Come back to bed, Malik." Marik purred his hand finding it's way under Malik's shirt.

"What about Ryou?" Malik glanced at Bakura holding back his moan by biting his lip, if he didn't hurry up then Marik would most likely take him here in the entrance hall.

"Don't worry about him." Bakura walked to the door. "I won't let him get away so easily spell or not." He winked at them and watched as the pair vanished from the room.

* * *

Ishizu watched as Yami locked the door and reinforced it with magic to keep her in, she grinned then started to laugh. There were more ways than one to get what she wanted and if she couldn't take it by force then she would try it differently.

Malik was so gullible, but it was Marik and Bakura she would have to watch out for, they never did believe anything she said or did.

Ishizu sat on the bed; she had a week in here while the Demons went through their Mating season, even though it was kept a secret from all the other races in the Realm, she had acquired this bit of information from a dieing Demon.

"Ishizu." Came a hiss and the Witch was wide eyed and on her feet looking about. "Master has been looking for you." The Servant appeared before her and the Witch fell to her knees from being over whelmed by its powers. "My Master isn't happy with you at all."

"No, I'm not done yet." Ishizu pleaded. "Give me more time."

"You tried to set them free, Master is furious." The Servant growled out. "Come along Slave."

"I didn't do it, it was an accident." Ishizu tried as she was pulled up by one arm to her feet, she wouldn't survive the Master's wrath for what she had tried to do, now she was wishing that Marik had taken pity on her and killed in the entrance hall. "Give me a few more days and I'll…"

"Silence!" The Servant snapped and then hissed out its demand. "You'll be obedient and come along quietly."

The Witch's mind raced and came up with only one thing that just may save her, but if the truth got out she would be dead anyway. "Ryou, I found Ryou in flesh and bone." The Servant froze looking her over for a second with narrowed natural black eyes. "He's Human." The Witch added.

"Human?!" The Servant spat outraged. "HUMAN?!" Never had the Servant heard anything so ridiculous in its long existence. "I tire of your lies and so does the Master."

"No." Ishizu backed up feeling the Servant gather up energy to take them out of the Human Realm and to the Master's lair. "No, no, NOOOOOOOOOO!" They were gone and no one in the house heard her screams.

* * *

Later that night Ryou stepped out of the shower and towel dried his hair, glad that Yugi's Grandpa had let him stay for a few nights and the old man was more fussed on why Yugi was so upset, his friend was in tears and refused to come out of his room.

Ryou had wished he had been as lucky to get off with something as light as finding out that he had slept with a Demon, instead he had stabbed the ones he cared for and tried to kill them, why was he feeling so damn guilty about it that he didn't want to be anywhere near them? Sure he felt guilty but he felt that it was something that he could have talked to Bakura about and get his forgiveness… but something was amiss.

Ryou walked into the guest room, closing the door behind him and lent on it for a few minutes, maybe tomorrow he would feel better to face Bakura, Malik and Marik again. He dropped the towel on the back of the chair and walked towards the bed and stopped upon seeing the wind blow the curtains open and a gust of wind made him shiver as he rushed over to close the window.

"Ryou." Came Bakura's voice from behind him, Ryou snapped the window closed and jumped around startled to see the pale Demon in his room.

"Bakura?" Ryou knew better then to ask on how he got into his room without using the door.

Bakura glanced him over taking in the shirtless body, bare feet and still very wet hair, he licked his lips and stepped forward, the aroma of coconuts in the air from perhaps a shampoo or a body wash only heightened the alluring natural scent of the Human. "I just came to tell you." Bakura stopped a few inches in front of his Human, Ryou's back hit the closed window as the pale Demon looked down a little into his wide light brown eyes.

Bakura had come down here to ask Ryou to be with him for this Mating season to finally be his Mate. He had sat outside and watched Ryou until he could get the Human alone in the house without being disturbed by anyone. The crazy girl was transfixed with watching t.v downstairs, while the old man was trying to talk to Yugi, who had locked himself in his room, no one would bother them.

Now Bakura thought second of it, if he wanted Ryou to spent that time with him, to become his Mate then he would let the Human come to him, so far Bakura had done all the chasing. "What happened and what you remember of the other night Ryou isn't important enough to change how I feel about you."

"I almost killed you and Marik." Ryou shook his head.

"Many have tried to kill us in the past and many more will still try it in the future."

"But it was, _me, _that tried it, not some hell bent insane creature after some kind of revenge." Ryou was close to tears as he gripped onto Bakura's shirt near his chest with one hand. "Worst of all I don't know why I did it."

"I have been so close to death and survived that what you did was nothing but flesh wounds." Tears rolled down Ryou's cheeks as he looked away. "Ryou." Bakura lifted his chin up to look him in the eyes as he caressed his cheek wiping away tears with his other hand. "I don't care, really I don't and if it is forgiveness that you are after then you have it."

"You can't speak for Marik and what would Malik say if he knew what I had done, he wouldn't want to be near me or have me around." Ryou bit his lip.

"Marik feels the same as me and as for Malik, he loves you to much and I guarantee that he'll be looking for you in a few days." Bakura smirked lightly knowing just how Malik could be and he would go hunting for Ryou and drag him back if need be and make the Human understand that he was loved.

"I need time to think, I feel so…" A small kiss to his lips cut him off from saying anything more; Bakura pulled back just enough to speak.

"I love you and I would be proud to call you my Mate." Bakura placed what hopefully wouldn't be his last kiss to those lips and pulled away with a purr.

Bakura didn't want to pressure Ryou into Mating with him, though he was worried that his Human might not come to him and he would be left to hibernate, as things would be awkward and hard to start again next week, especially if Ryou thought that they were avoiding him. "I just need a little time." Ryou whispered letting go of him and moved as Bakura now stood at the window.

"Just don't forget what I said." Bakura wanted to added, just don't take too long. Ryou nodded his head and watched Bakura leap out the window and was gone, he then closed everything up and went to bed, still feeling so strange and confused about everything.

* * *

**TBC **

The next chapter will be more on Seto/Joey and Yugi/Yami and Ryou/Bakura and if you are all really good and **Review **there just maybe a lemon in it for you. (Love and Cookies)


	37. Chapter 37

**Warnings**: M and Yaoi, **Lemon** in this chapter, so if you don't like then don't read… Disclaimer: … '_I own nothing_!'

**Chapter 37**

* * *

Early that morning before the sunrise, Seto glanced about the hospitals hallways that were full of doctors, nurses and a few patients, they were all to busy to notice him and he liked it that way. Seto didn't need someone telling him whether or not he can see his Human… the point here was to find his Human in this place.

Seto settled for walking, if he had of Mated with Joey the right way first time then he wouldn't have this problem in finding him now, but then again he wasn't looking for a Mate and still wasn't. The Healer sighed, he just wanted to see Joey and talk to him the images of him bleeding to death in his bathroom left Seto feeling sick, saddened and a little scared that he had almost lost the Human to something so stupid and emotional.

One good point through all this was that Yami's little Human Mate had Joey's Sister and Seto had only stumbled upon her through sheer coincidence of helping Bakura, Marik and Yami to get their Humans back, funny how Yami, Bakura and himself all had Human's to call their own… well maybe not Yami as the rejection would have hurt more then a slap in the face and no doubt that the Demon Lord would be feeling it.

Serenity really was a good thing; maybe Joey could move on from what was bothering him and start over with his, not so normal Sister. The Demon Healer sighed and his heart twisted up painfully on the message on the answering machine that Joey had recorded by accident and that he wanted to get away from him, had Seto really been that breaking point in Joey's life that he had felt the need to escape and found out that he couldn't get away from the Demon and tried to kill himself?

"_Whatever we have, I can make a go of it… just for you." _Seto's own words to Joey rang in his head as hopeful and comforting to help his Human make it through and not feel as though he was alone, that someone was there for him.

Seto hadn't wanted to leave really or help the others find their lost Mates but he couldn't stand to be waiting and hoping that his Human would pull through either and he had been glad for the distraction and everyone turned out okay.

"Sir? Can I help you?" Asked a young woman with black hair and green eyes, blocking his way. "This is the ICU and visitors are restricted to family only and it is too early for visitors." She had said in a soft pleasant voice accompanied with a smile.

Seto glanced about then looked at her, maybe she could fast track him to where his Human was. "I'm looking for Joey Wheeler."

She frowned and walked away to a station desk against the wall that was centered in the hallway, nurses and doctors crowded around it, holding folders and talking to each other.

She came back with that same smile. "They moved him an hour ago, he's on floor nine, room twenty-six." Seto glanced about one last time before turning and leaving.

It wasn't long at all when he reached the right floor and he could pick up on Joey's scent and it made Seto feel a little at ease. The hallway was a little empty and it was really quiet on this floor. Seto followed the numbers and stopped at the right door with gold numbers on it that read twenty-six. He pushed open the door a little and paused, worried on how Joey might be doing, so many possibilities ran through his head, all which made his heart sink lower in his stomach… Well he wasn't going to find out standing in this hallway. Seto took in a deep breath and walked into the room.

There Joey lay asleep on a bed, one arm lay over his middle with an IV and the tube was attached to a bag of blood. Seto moved, closing the door behind him and approached the end of the bed. He frowned as Joey still looked very pale but his even breathing indicated that the Human was sleeping or unconscious. The Healer glanced down and then plucked up the folder that held Joey's information on what the doctors were doing to him or for him. Seto flipped through the pages his eyes scanning over writing, picking up written words here and there, not taking his eyes of the paper as he walked around the bed and sat down on a chair and moved it closer to the bed. Seto turned his eyes from Joey's face to the folder and started on the first page of treatment and medication.

The doctors were replacing the blood lose, that was good. No painkillers needed, vitamins were given as to help with the body and blood getting back to normal. The nurses checked in on Joey every five minutes to start with, then every ten and now they were up to fifteen minutes in check ups for his blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature. He glanced at the last time someone had checked in on Joey and glanced at his watch… five minutes before someone would be walking in through that door.

Seto flipped over the pages and read the footnotes, Joey hadn't regained consciousness since brought in, he was stable and that they hadn't found a wound or why he had lost so much blood, good thing that they hadn't suspected suicide attempt or it would take a long time to get Joey out of here.

The Healer had read over everything written about Joey and soon stood up, satisfied on the treatment these Human doctors were giving his Human. He placed the folder back as a nurse walked into the room. "Oh I didn't know there was anyone in here." Smiled an older woman as she walked into the room and started to do everything that was writen in the folder and within a few minutes, she had done everything and wrote it down in the folder and was gone again.

Seto ignored her but was very watchful of her work, he took his seat and waited for Joey to wake up, afterwards he would go to the Human that rejected Yami and get Joey's Sister out of there and into some proper care.

It had been mid morning when Joey sensed someone watching him and slowly opened his eyes and was surprised to see who it was, Seto Kaiba, sitting in a chair beside his bed? Joey glanced about with only his eyes and noticed that he was in, hospital?! Wait, the last thing he remembered was the phone-call to his mother and he tried too…

Joey snapped his eyes back to Kaiba and their eyes met, had he saved him last night? "What are you doing here?" Joey's dry tired voice filled the room, he felt lightheaded and exhausted.

Seto sighed as he got up and sat on the bed, he reached for the cup of water and handed it to the Human, who took a sip and handed it back, Seto placed it back on the table and kept his eyes on the window in front of him, that gave a great view of some of the city, Joey shifted a little to make room for him. "Why?" The Healer asked.

"That's none of your business." Joey hissed out, if he wanted to… well he was old enough to do what he wanted and had for a few years now.

Seto glanced at him and brushed the blonde hair out of the Human's eyes. "Why did you want to leave me?" Joey's eyes widened, Seto wasn't asking why he tried to end his life, but why he wanted to leave the city, leave him.

"I was just…" No this part wasn't his fault at all, but Seto's. "Funny you should be asking such things, when it was _you _that said that I wouldn't be seeing you again." Joey paused his tired mind working over time to keep up with this conversation, he reached up and touched his right shoulder where that strange mark was and glanced away from the Demon sitting on his bed. "I thought that we…"

"I was frightened." Seto whispered with his head down and Joey stopped talking and glanced at him. "Frightened that you were really leaving me for good and then I found you in your bathroom." Seto glanced at him. "Why didn't you come to me? Why didn't you talk to me?"

"Because we argue, Seto." Joey huffed a little and thought sadly, that Seto, even though he was a Demon was still a stunning creature to look at and with just a look Joey's heart pounded faster in his chest, but such thoughts were painful as the Demon before him wasn't his to call his own. No, anything to do with caring and love was voided in this creature. "I'm worthless in your eyes and I thought it best to just… go away." Joey's eyes widened as Seto moved onto the bed and straddled his hips and sat himself down on Joey comfortably and rested his hands beside Joey's head looking down at him.

"Joey, you're not worthless, a pain in the ass, maybe, but not worthless." Seto lacked the smile or the grin that should have come with his words. "I was frightened that for the first time in _my_ life that I had someone caring and wanting me for a change, and I'm not talking about just to be around long enough to satisfy a Need. I'm talking about someone who wanted my love for a change." Seto did smile a little though hard to see as Joey just stared at him and missed it.

"So you love me now?" Joey said disbelieving and gasped a little as Seto lent his top half right down so their chests were pressed together and noses almost touching.

"I feel for you Joey, it may not be love that I have for you but its something I'm willing to work on to finding out what it's called." Seto sighed as he tucked his knees into Joey's sides and his fingers played with the Human's hair. "I'm not a cruel Demon, Joey, I may come across as cold and heartless, but I feel too and I would always be there for you no matter what." Seto pressed his lips against Joey's in a simple but very heartfelt kiss and pulled back a little with a smirk as a small moan came from the Human under him, his blue eyes locked with the Human's lighter ones. "I would make a good Mate if you would accept me?" Joey bit his lip and looked away.

"My feelings would still be one sided… how is that fair when the same thing isn't returned?" Joey looked back at him, truly it wasn't.

"Would you rather I lie and say what I feel isn't true?" Seto tilted the Human's head up just a little by running his fingers through his hair and down his jaw line to his chin. "You'll never be lonely or feel lonely again, I'll make it my vow that I'll always be at your side as your friend, lover and Mate."

"I guess." Joey sighed.

Seto frowned; here he was pouring out what he felt to this Human and all Joey could say was _'I guess!'_ Joey wrapped his arms about Seto's neck and pulled him down, the Healer moved his legs out and let the Human guide him down to lay on him in a hug. Seto wrapped his arms about Joey the best he could, he could also feel the heartbeat within Joey, it was strong and steady so Joey was really okay.

Joey rested his chin on the top of Seto's head and ran his hand through his hair and Joey heaved another sigh. Seto closed his eyes and started to purr, this wasn't so bad, he could be happy having the Human around to come home to or visit if the Human didn't move in with him… Oh, sleepovers with benefits. "Don't think all this mushy talk is going to get you off the hook." Joey mumbled suddenly breaking the comfortable silence.

"What?" Seto growled his purring stopped as he snapped open his eyes.

"Well." Joey stopped his hand and placed it over his mouth as he yawned, then said. "You still have to make up on the way you mistreated me and all the hurtful things you said." Joey smirked a little. "You can start by taking my apartment keys and clean up for me and don't forget to restock the fridge and take out the trash and when you're done we can work on your attitude."

"What?!" Seto lent up on all fours above the Human glaring down at him. "I'm not your slave, or your Mate, yet!" Joey let out a small laugh.

"Take a joke." Joey said rolling his eyes. "Man, are you always this up tight?" Oh that dead Vampire was right, his Human did have spark, injured or not, Seto thought. The Healer then frowned as that smile was gone from Joey's lips and he caressed the Healer's cheek with one hand. "Thank you Seto, for saving me and I know I can be a good Mate too."

Seto smirked as he lent down. "Don't ever make me worry about you again." Joey nodded his head as Seto lay back down and wrapped himself about his Human, this conversation was far from over and he and Joey were going to have a good long talk on why he tried to kill himself, but first there was the matter of the Healer getting his mark from Joey, and the matter of his Human's Sister.

"I'll try not too." Joey yawned again and found it hard to keep his eyes open and snuggled down into the Demon's arms, at least now he wasn't alone anymore, he had Seto the Demon. Well it wasn't all fireworks with I love you followed by the epic happily ever after ending, but it was good enough for now.

"Joey, I found your Sister." Seto opened his eyes and sat up a little. "Joey?" The Healer sighed as he had drifted off to sleep. Seto reached out and brushed the hair from Joey's face, he would leave soon anyway and let his Human sleep, but for now he snuggled back down for a longer hug.

* * *

Bakura sighed as he ate in the living room; the t.v was on as a way to distract him, a plate of toast, fruits and bits of meat sat on the coffee table in front of him, hot tea and an empty cup with bloodstains in it. He was preparing himself for his hibernation, his body was climbing up in temperature and by midday he would be in Heat, he had to be asleep before then.

Bakura downed his food and drink, dumped all his dishes in the kitchen sink, on his way upstairs he checked the front door to make sure it was locked and headed up to his room.

Bakura walked into his bathroom and took a cold shower to help maintain his body temperature in the lower degrees. Shutting off the water he stepped out and saw himself in the mirror, his eyes were crimson and would stay like that until the Season was over and his fangs were at full length, his hands were claws with longer nails, soon his wings would follow and stay visible to the world, his true Demon form was coming out.

"I waited as long as I could." Bakura sighed as he walked into his room, drying off his hair and body with a towel, Ryou wasn't coming and he couldn't hold on any longer. He was already at risk, should he wait any longer he wouldn't be able to hibernate. He pulled on long thin sweats and crawled into bed. The last thing Bakura wanted was to hold off and end up sleeping with some random Human, Witch, Vampire or Werewolf as he hadn't been invited to join Marik and Malik, and Bakura wanted to avoid Marik's wrath if he made a wrong move on Malik or the tanned Demon, Mating Season was also a dangerous time.

Hibernation for him was the only answer; he didn't want to wake beside a complete stranger and find out that he had marked them and would be Mated, he shuddered with the thought and pulled the covers over himself and sighed… another Mating Season on his own.

Bakura stared at the ceiling for a second as a tear rolled down his cheek, there was no words on how lonely he felt to go through this on his own year after year, and over those years he had forgotten what it was like to have a Mate at his side for such times… He had never resented Marik or Malik for their Mated bond and having each other, it was just that he wanted someone for himself.

The temperature dropped greatly in the room and his powers moved about, shadows concealed the bedroom and bathroom doors and windows; the room was thrown into a deep shadowy darkness. "Ryou." His mind on his Human as his body started to shut down for the deep sleep, he closed his eyes as his heartbeat started to slow down…

"Another year without you." Bakura mumbled as he started to drift off.

* * *

Ryou still felt drained when he got up that morning and after Bakura's visit last night and it had left him more upset and had ended up crying himself to sleep. Ryou didn't want to hang about the house all day, hearing Grandpa chasing after Yugi asking what's got him so down, with how his friend was acting, it was as if someone was sending him to his execution.

Ryou took a fast shower and dressed, afterwards he grabbed a drink and a bit of fruit, he left the house before anyone else was awake, by the time he got to school most of everyone was heading to class.

Ryou grabbed what books he needed and rushed to where he had to be; he walked into the classroom and instantly scanned the room for Malik and his heart sunk, had he already left? Anzu gave him a small wave from her seat, Ryou missed it as he made his way to a desk up the back of the room.

Ryou sat down and placed his head in his arms on his desk as he fought back tears, what he wouldn't give to get a chance to say goodbye to Malik one more time. He sighed and couldn't help but feel sorry for Marik and Bakura, but why was Malik leaving? He didn't look like he really wanted to leave, and what kind of deal would be strong enough to force him to leave?… family matter perhaps?

Ryou sat up, could Malik really be leaving them for good like Ishizu had said? Then was it truly up to him to take care of Marik and Bakura? Look what he had tried to do to them both, and Malik was going to leave it up to him to look after them.

Ryou snatched up his book and picked up his pen, the Teacher walked in and class started. At some point Ryou had ditched his pen for a pencil and was doodling trying anything to keep his mind from wondering and he tuned out everything and everyone around him.

"Oh wow Ryou, that's awesome." The teen jumped and glanced up to see Anzu standing over him looking at what he had been doing, Ryou glanced down and blushed at his gray sketch of Marik, Bakura and Malik, all three stared up at him, their pose on the paper was all three shirtless and laying together, he had drawn Marik on his back with his hands behind his head and Malik rested his head on Marik's chest and his hand was in Bakura's hair, and Bakura had an arm resting up and over Marik's thighs as one would make a move to pull a pillow more under their head, Bakura's other hand rested on his own chest and his head lay comfortably on Marik's abdomen, all three sultry smirks on their lips teased him from the pages of his book for him to join them.

Ryou snapped it shut making the girl frown at him and give a whine of protest that she didn't get to look at it a little longer. Ryou gathered everything up and left the classroom just as the bell rang. The hallway was like a tidal wave of students that came rushing from each door into the hallway, the yelling started with laughter, loud talking and things being thrown about.

Ryou made it to his locker and shoved his books inside it; he only came here to help keep his mind off Bakura, but the daydream and sketching in his book obviously wasn't working, Ryou stopped and pulled the book back out and gazed at his picture for a second, his heart did a funny little tug at the thoughts and feelings on how much he missed Bakura, and suddenly the book was gone from his hands.

"What the hell is this?!" Ryou turned about and saw Honda looking the sketch, a scowling look on his face.

"Give it back!" Ryou growled clutching his fist tighter at his side; he'd give Honda one good beating just to get that picture back.

"Here I though two was bad, but three?… you sure are getting around." Before Honda could say anymore and before Ryou could retort back, Anzu came up and slapped Honda upside the head and caught the book before it was dropped to the ground.

"Grow up." She snapped at him and she handed Ryou his book back. "It's art." She gave her friend a wink. "Buy me lunch." She hooked her arm around Ryou's arm and led him away. "So where is Yugi today? And you have missed a bit of school." Anzu glanced at him as they walked into the cafeteria and got in line.

"He's at home and not doing so well." Ryou bit his lip, as his heart wouldn't stop racing when he thought of Bakura.

"I see… and Joey? I've been around to his place at least everyday, but I get no answer." She sighed. "But the flu has gotten everyone so I'm not to worried about him, but I hope he is doing well." They gathered up their food and headed outside to sit.

"But you…" She paused glancing at him, her food tray in her lap. "You looked so sad in class today, I thought that you might have started crying at one point."

"I…" Ryou trailed off, why was he so miserable over this? Bakura _had_ forgiven him last night, he had even said so. _"I don't care, really I don't and if it is forgiveness that you are after then you have it."_ No, there was something else in that conversation that Bakura was holding back on… "_I love you and I would be proud to call you my Mate."_ Bakura's voice rang in his head; he pushed his food tray away and got up.

"Ryou?!" Anzu watched him and gasped as he started to run. "Where are you going?" She shook her head. "You can't leave school in the middle of the day?!"

Ryou ran for the front gates of the school as fast as he could, he had such a strong feeling to see Bakura. They weren't Mates; Ryou was sure of it, Bakura had been on about that since they had met. "Damn it!" Ryou hissed to himself, was that the real reason Bakura came after him last night? To see if he would let Bakura take him as his Mate. "Why am I so dense?" Ryou had completely missed it, everything was so messed up and he wasn't going to let Bakura think for another second that Ryou was too absorbed in his guilt to notice what was wrong with the Demon.

"Where are you going?" A Teacher blocked his path only a few feet away from the gates; he should have known someone would be watching for those trying to play hooky, Ryou slid to a stop.

"I have to leave now." Ryou ducked around him, he wasn't sure what was in store for him or how someone became a Mate to a Demon, but he wanted to be Bakura's Mate and being one shouldn't be all that hard or that big of a deal, maybe it was like giving someone an engagement ring or a life time promise… Bakura would explain it all to him.

"Hey?!" Before the Teacher could react in stopping the teen, he was already gone.

Ryou didn't care if he had to serve detention until he graduated; he really needed to see Bakura.

* * *

Yami stopped in his driveway looking his house over, Marik and Malik were busy and Bakura, who knows what he got up to at this time of year and everyone is getting along with their Mates but Seto and me, Yami thought as he turned around and walked away from the house.

Yami lightly rubbed at the mark were Yugi had playfully bit him, he wondered if Yugi was feeling just as miserable as he was and Yami questioned himself if he had made the right choice for a Mate… Yugi's mark would go away in time, but his own, well it would be there for the rest of his life, adding to his humiliation and embracement on his failure as simple as keeping a Mate.

Yami sighed as he glanced up at the sky, he didn't want anyone else, he wanted Yugi, at his side, in his life and in his bed. Yugi had acted as if Yami had come with the plague and brought the wrath of hell with him to devour everyone's soul, was he that undesirable?

"Hello Yami!" The Demon Lord stopped dead in his tracks, stunned as the old man stood before him. Yami tore his wide eyes away from the old man and looked up, no, Yugi's house stood before him. Yami turned to leave, not knowing what possessed him to wonder here as Yugi didn't want to see him and he wasn't going to make matters worse by staying and being seen by the Human. "Where are you going?" The old man rushed after him and grabbed him by the arm pulling him back towards the house. "It's good that you are here." The old man grinned a little. "Yugi has been so down and since you are his friend maybe you can…" He trailed off at the look on Yami's face. "What is it boy?" The old man sighed. "Come in and I'll get you something to drink."

Yami protested and tired to pull his arm free without hurting the old man, but he had a grip like death and the Demon Lord was pulled inside and into the kitchen. "Look Grandpa, this doesn't work anymore." Serenity came in with the remote in hand and shaking it. "The tv isn't flickering anymore." She frowned at it, as she turned the remote upside down. "I think I broke it."

The old man took the remote and replaced the batteries with new ones. "Oh hey." She greeted Yami with a small wave; the Demon Lord gave a small smile and a nod of his head.

Grandpa handed the remote back to Serenity and watched as she walked out of the room. "She hasn't stopped watching tv since she got here and all she does is flick through the channels." The old man shook his head. "Yugi has some weird friends at times."

Yami sat down as the old man started to move about the kitchen, Yami wanted to leave as he could smell Yugi everywhere in the house and it was just another painful reminder. Yami sighed as he kept his head down and his hands entwined on his lap. "I was thinking that you could go up there and say hi to Yugi and he might cheer up and come down."

Yami winced a little now that he was closer he could feel how upset Yugi was. "No, it wouldn't work, I'm the one that upset Yugi." He almost whispered it.

"Oh did you two have a fight?" The old man asked curious as to what happened, since his Grandson met Yami he had never seen the boy so happy to have made a new friends since, Joey, Ryou, Anzu and Honda.

"Kind of, he just doesn't like me anymore." The words stung and tears burnt his eyes, Yami looked away.

"Nonsense, Yugi likes everyone and if he is upset with you then it would only be for a short time." The old man placed down a hot cup of tea, Yami glanced up at the ceiling he wanted his Human back in his arms and talking to him again… but to make that happen?

"Could I… you don't mind if I go up and talk to him?" Yami asked already getting up out of his seat, this was one way of doing it, he could just tell Yugi how he felt and maybe they would start to talk again, he had nothing else to lose.

"Go right ahead." The old man said pointing towards the kitchen door.

Yami was out of the kitchen and up the stairs in no time and knocked on Yugi's locked door. "Go away Grandpa I'm fine!" Yami heard from inside the room.

"Yugi?" Yami knocked again saying through the door loud enough for the Human to hear him and no one else. "Can I come in?"

"Why don't you just do what you want?!" Yami sighed as he lowered his hand, he could use his powers and enter the room without being asked, be it wasn't what he wanted to do. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner… I was worried that you would be like this." Yami rested his head against the door and placed his palm against the hard wood, this was so hard and it hurt so much.

"You blame me!" Yugi shot back. "You lied about what you are."

"No, it was my fault." Yami admitted. "I should have been more diplomatic about it, I let myself get carried away, that I could be… happy and be like all the others of my kind." Yami sighed again. "To be able to choose a Mate or just to fall in love if they wish with whoever they like."

Yugi lifted his head from off the pillow and glanced at the door. "You can't?" He bit his lip as he wiped away his tears.

"No, Yugi I can't. I have a Realm to rule over and as a royal prince I only get to pick just one. One, to call my Mate and to spend my whole life with weather they die or not." Yami smiled sadly, he used to tease Bakura every now and then on such a matter, though joking and laughing off the scowling looks and growls of profanity from the pale Demon, Yami now would know what it was like to be alone first hand. "Out of all the immortals I could have had… I chose a mortal Mate, I fell in love with you, Yugi." Yami stepped away from the door a little as it opened a crack.

"I haven't changed on how I feel about you." Yugi said from the jar of the door and he bit his lip looking the other over. "You really love me?" Yugi asked opening the door a little more; he knew that if Yami had wanted to hurt him, he would have done it a while ago.

"Of course I love you." Yami said with a soft smile. "Do you forgive me for not telling you?" Yugi nodded his head. "Come out of there Yugi, please." Yami held open his arms, as his Human was feeling more at ease and not so upset.

Yugi walked to Yami and was instantly embraced. "I was scared seeing you like that, you looked like a monster." Yami winced at the Human's words. "You don't kill people do you?" Yugi asked looking up at him, truly he did feel better.

"No." Yami shook his head. "I'll tell you everything you needed to know for a kiss." The Demon Lord said, Yugi frowned at him for a minute not understanding how he could have gone from being so upset to feeling better with just a few words from Yami and a hug.

Yugi hesitated for a second and then lent up and kissed Yami on the lips.

* * *

Out of breath Ryou stopped in front of the mansion door and tried the door handle as well as knocking. "Bakura!" He called out as he rapped his knuckles on the hard wood; he stopped and listened, no movement, no sound came from within the house. Ryou growled someone had to be home; he knocked again louder, "Bakura!" For five minutes Ryou knocked and rang the doorbell and nothing happened.

Ryou stepped back away from the door, maybe Marik and Bakura had gone out and there was no one home, disappointed Ryou sighed, maybe he would try later or tomorrow. Ryou took one step down the small stair and the door flew open. "Ryou?" He turned about and held in his gasp as Bakura stood in nothing but long pants, his hair all messed up and he griped the edges of the doorframe, his large black wings sat against his back.

Ryou approached the pale Demon, noticing Bakura's eyes weren't their dark almost black colour. "I didn't think you were..." His words were cut off as Bakura grabbed onto his shoulders and pulled him in closer and into a kiss.

Bakura pulled his Human inside and shut the door only to press Ryou up against it followed by his body and lips, moving his hands up into Ryou's hair and fisting the white locks and pressed him even more to the wall. Ryou struggled a little when he was shoved to the wall, a welcome he hadn't been expecting, but it felt good to have the Demon pressed so tightly against him.

Ryou moaned a little and tilted his head back against the wall as Bakura moved from his lips down his jaw line and to his neck, his body jerked as Bakura pulled him away from the door a little to wrap his arms about the Human's back.

"I didn't think you would come." Bakura purred pulling back just a little, instantly taking this as Ryou accepting his earlier proposal, calling upon his powers to move them upstairs. Ryou gasped as everything blurred and spun about, the back of his legs suddenly hit something and he toppled over with a startled yelp and landed on something very soft.

"What?" Ryou wide eyed glanced about the inside of Bakura's bedroom, a little alarmed on how he got up here without walking…

"I need you, Ryou." Bakura purred as he came crawling onto the bed on all fours, his Human shifted to the head of the bed as the Demon stalked closer to him. "Mate with me?" Ryou was jerked once more as Bakura pulled his socks and shoes off his feet, tossing them over his shoulder then he moved in. Ryou placed his bare foot onto the Demon's chest to stop him from getting any closer; this didn't sit well with Bakura as he glared at the offending foot that stopped him from getting to his Human.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." The look Bakura gave him, Ryou didn't think he could hold off the Demon too much longer on what he wanted to do and he knew what Bakura wanted from him. "I want to be your Mate, but I need to…" Ryou yelped as his leg was tugged and he slid onto his back and end up right under Bakura's body.

Bakura used his hands and tore Ryou's dark blue school jacket and white shirt wide open exposing his chest and stomach, his clothing now beyond repair. Bakura bent down and licked from the Human's navel all the way up, up the centre of his chest, up his neck and stopped when he reached Ryou's chin, only then to press himself against the body under him, purring as he rocked his hips into the Human's. "More Mating, less talking." Bakura growled out as his hands kneaded Ryou's sides.

Ryou arched his back with a moan and clutched onto the sheets under him, the heat that was coming off Bakura's body was incredible; was he running a fever? That didn't matter as it was obvious what Bakura wanted and seemed he wasn't going to stop until he got it. "Mating?" Ryou said his heart racing; Bakura smirked as he pulled back, running his hands to Ryou's hips and undid his pants. "What is it exactly? Is it the same as…"

Bakura raised an eyebrow his mind was too fogged up with a sexual need for a proper conversation, but he had to try. "It is as it sounds, you'll be marked and taken over and over again."

"As in sex?" Ryou asked closing his eyes as Bakura undid his pants and licked from the opening, up his abdomen.

"Is there a better way to do it?" Bakura then pulled everything from off Ryou's hips and down his legs and threw the clothing aside.

Ryou couldn't help but blush, as he lay there before Bakura naked almost, if it wasn't for the tattered clothing that once resembled a jacket and a shirt, which hung uselessly from his arms and shoulders. "This would be my first… Mating." Ryou swallowed another moan as Bakura nipped and kissed his way up the Human's inner thigh.

"I know." Bakura grabbed hold of Ryou's hips and tugged him down again more onto his back and in the centre of the bed. "I've been for so long without you." Bakura moved up again and kissed Ryou, happy when he was met with no resistance at all, lips parted without the need to be encouraged to do so.

Bakura moved again kissing as he made his way down the Human's body only to stop and nip with a small lick over Ryou's left nipple, Bakura moaned along with Ryou as he continued on his way down and skillfully slipped himself out of his long sweats, something he learned along time ago to do with Marik.

Bakura moved himself in-between Ryou's thighs, there was no asking if Ryou was okay with this, telling by the small moans and whimpers coming from the Human, Bakura knew it was fine to continue what he was doing, question was were to mark his new Mate. Bakura licked his lips as he looked over the pale body, Ryou was completely aroused, slightly panting and watching every one of his movements. "Where do you want your mark?" Bakura growled out, bending down to place nips and licks on his inner thigh.

"Mark?" Ryou gasped as Bakura came close to his length but didn't quite touch him.

"The mark is like a tattoo that will tell all that you are mated and that I am yours and you are mine." Bakura purred at the thought that Ryou was almost his and he took Ryou's member into his mouth, a choke like gasp came forth from Ryou who hadn't expected it.

Ryou's mind was void of such thoughts like, they were moving to fast or this might not be the best choice to make in this kind of situation; it was the all to familiar feeling that washed over him, like he had done this many times with Bakura.

Bakura bobbed his head up and down and gently sucked at the flesh in his mouth, to help bring Ryou to his fullest arousal but not enough to let him release. His hands kneading the Human's hips, he couldn't hold off much longer and foreplay always came later when he wasn't burning up in Heat. A louder cry came from Ryou and Bakura knew he was close and realized that he had nothing to make this easy on the Human, even though he may be desperate with the need to satisfy the Heat, it didn't mean that he was willingly going to ravage the body under him like some crazed animal, even if he wasn't far off becoming one. If Bakura wanted to see the end of this week and be one very satisfied Mate, then the less injured or hurt Ryou was, the better his chances were to see the end of this week.

Irritated with himself that he had to leave, normally he wouldn't and just plunge on ahead using what he could that was at hand, but being Ryou's first time and in Mating Season, it was going to be rough on the Human as it was.

Ryou clutched onto the sheets under him, his skin burning and tingling at just the touches of Bakura's hand and body. "What!" Ryou gasped, the warmth of Bakura was gone and he was already missing it, he shakily pushed himself up on his elbows.

Bakura reappeared between Ryou's legs again with something in his hands, whatever it was Ryou didn't see it as Bakura tossed it away and lent over him and kissed him soundly on the lips, both hands tangled in Ryou's hair and he titled the Human's head at the perfect angle, pressing Ryou more into the mattress with his weight.

Bakura moved lower, placing kisses and nips on his way, the sounds Ryou was making was driving him crazy that he was having second thoughts on preparing him and just taking him. His body shook with effort to hold back that even his hands were trembling just as much as the Human was and retaking Ryou's length into mouth. Bakura waited a few seconds listening to Ryou's moans and incoherent mumbles, as he pressed a finger past the ring of muscle.

Ryou squirmed a little but the pleasure drowned it out almost instantly, soon Bakura had all three fingers in and Ryou was ready. Bakura lent up pressing down on Ryou once more. "Ryou." Bakura said getting his attention. "Tell me you want to be my Mate."

Ryou opened his eyes a good blush across his cheeks and hair stuck the skin about his face and neck from sweat and he nodded his head yes, this image of his Human was permanently burned into his memory and hopped it wasn't going to be the last. "Yes." Ryou pulled him down for a kiss.

The pale Demon growled as he pushed his way into Ryou's body and gasped at the tight heat that surrounded him. Ryou dug his nails into Bakura's shoulders and bit his bottom lip and whimpered. Bakura waited, the last of his patience gone when Ryou moved his hips; Bakura pulled back a little and thrusted back in, Ryou arched his back a little as Bakura did it again.

Bakura moaned as he moved his legs a little and sat up taking Ryou with him, wrapping his legs about Bakura's waist and his knees almost dug into the Demon's sides as Bakura kept thrusting into the Human.

The room was filled with deep growling and grunts coming from Bakura mixed with Ryou's moans and whimpers for more. Bakura tore away what was left of Ryou's shirt, ripping it from his body to have a better feel of the other.

Bakura nuzzled into the crook of Ryou's neck as his whole body trembled worse then before and he wanted to scream; his wings released themselves from his back as Ryou's incoherent mumbles got a little louder as he came, Bakura lost it as well in that same instance and came in his Human, both falling to the bed in a panted heap.

Bakura pulled himself out carefully from the Human and rolled off him pulling Ryou closer to his body… now all that was left to do was the marking.

* * *

**TBC**

Okay, we are a few chapters off to ending this fic, so **Review **and let me know what you think. (Love and Cookies)


	38. Chapter 38

keep your eyes out for scene/time change in this chapter so you shouldn't be confused about it, this is the final chapter so enjoy.

**Warnings: **M and Yaoi, Lemon in this chapter, so if you don't like then don't read… Disclaimer: … '_I own nothing_!'

**Chapter 38**

* * *

The heavy exhausted feeling for the need to sleep was slowly lifting as the shadows of the room fell away bathing the room in more natural shadows. Bakura suddenly stretched his body, muscles and joints popping back into place and he relaxed again looking about his room as his mind brought forth the events from a week ago. _That's right. _Bakura glanced over and pulled the covers back a little to find a mass of white hair and pale skin. He had taken Ryou as his Mate and couldn't have been happier to find it all hadn't been some dream conjured from his wants of the Human.

Had it been a week already and their Mating Season was finally over.

Bakura smirked at his own thoughts as he ran a hand down Ryou's shoulder blade down his back to the swell of his backside and back up again. Ryou moved and rolled onto his side and slowly opened his eyes to find Bakura watching him and gave him a soft smile and a blush as Bakura caressed his cheek and lent in to kiss him on the lips. "I'm starving." Bakura purred as he pulled back.

"Me too." Ryou agreed and suddenly he didn't feel as tired or worn out as he had in the last few days. "I think I'll… damn!" Ryou groaned.

"What?" Bakura asked a little worried.

"My clothes, you basically shredded them and I have nothing to wear." He glanced at the pale Demon beside him, he had borrowed Bakura's shirt and pants to go to the kitchen and get food and something to drink before returning back to the room or before Bakura had gone in search for him.

"That's fine with me I don't mind keeping you locked up in here naked and always ready for me." Bakura lent over to take a small nibble on his Human's ear; Ryou pulled his head away and gave him a playful scolding look. "I'm sure I can find something for you to wear." Bakura's smirk widened a little more and asked. "Will you move in with me?"

"Yes." He said as he kissed Bakura, then sat up and glanced about the room and growled in more annoyance then anything and Bakura sat up side him, the blanket pooled about their waists as both were still in the state of undress. "I do want too get my…" Ryou trailed off for a moment until Bakura gave him a look that told him to continue with what he was saying. "I wanted to get my things from my old apartment and I left my bag there."

Bakura had forgotten why Ryou had been there at that apartment and at the mercy of his father… "Bakura, would you come with me to get a few of my things?" Ryou asked, he didn't want to always be wearing someone else's clothing or having to buy new ones and there were personal things that he wanted to retrieve as well.

"No." Bakura said in an angry tone that made Ryou frown at him and about to retort back on being told what he could and couldn't do. "I'll go with Marik, I don't want you near that place again, not after what almost happened." Bakura glanced at him. "If I forget anything, then we'll all go over. But first, we need food." Bakura slid out from the bed and got to his feet. "I'll raid Malik's room for something." Bakura knew anything of his or even Marik's would hang off Ryou; the Human bowed his head and bit his lip. "What's wrong?" Bakura asked a little confused as to the change in Ryou's mood.

"When will Malik be coming back?" Ryou glanced at him in hopes that Malik wouldn't be gone forever as Ishizu had said, surely it wouldn't be forever and he would came back to visit at some point.

"I'm sure you'll see Malik before you know it." Bakura grinned knowing the half Demon never even left the house. "Go shower." Ryou nodded his head and got up heading for the bathroom.

Soon Ryou was freshly showered walked out into the bedroom and still found no clothes for him but for Bakura's black robe. He walked over and pulled it on, wrapping it about his body and noticed the bed had been changed of its sheets and the room was tidy once again with the window open letting the suns rays into the room for the first time in a week.

Ryou headed downstairs and mused to himself that Bakura had returned to his normal self, his eyes were a dark brown almost black, no fangs could be seen when he talked and his wings were gone until needed again and whatever had driven Bakura into a sexual frenzy had passed and it was good to be out of that room as he had a few things to do outside of the bedroom.

Bakura had been in Recovery for the last few days and the Demon slept most of the time, but would talk to Ryou when he was awake. Ryou was a little grateful for this time as his body by the fifth day was aching and he was tired from being woken up to at odd hours to indulge Bakura's need, both Demon and Human exhausted themselves to the point of almost passing out.

The Mating wasn't all one sided either of Bakura just taking him, Ryou blushed and hesitated when it came to him taking Bakura that had proved that Ryou had what it took to satisfied his own Demon Mate, Ryou had never seen anything so hot as having something as powerful as a Demon moaning and practically begging for more because of what he had been doing to Bakura… and Bakura had been quite pleased.

Ryou entered the kitchen and had expected Bakura to be in the room and found it empty, so he made drinks for himself and Bakura. Ryou's thoughts then turned to Marik and wondered what Marik had been up to over the week and felt a wave of guilt that he and Bakura had forgotten him. "I was told that you were in need of clothing, but for the life of me I can't fathom why you would need them." Malik said from the doorway dressed in grey khaki pants and a hooded red sleeveless top, a bundle of clothing under his arm.

"Malik?" Ryou left what he was doing and rushed around the counter to hug him. "I thought you were gone." Ryou pulled back happy to see him here.

"Me leave you!" Malik snorted. "Ishizu's plans of taking me with her were shot through by Marik to who I am very grateful to and ended up having a very pleasurable week with him." Malik winked and smirked when Ryou blushed at him knowing what he had meant.

"I'm glad you are staying, Malik." Ryou lent up and kissed him on the lips and pulled back enough to say. "I would have missed you too much."

"I would have missed you too." Malik glanced him over for a second. "You should go and get dressed and while I go and see if Marik is out of bed." Malik sighed. "He always thinks he needs an extra day of sleep, Marik can be so lazy at times."

Ryou smirked as he took the clothing from Malik, who turned around and headed up stairs much to Ryou's disappointment who had missed out in Malik's normally wandering hands at groping his body… Maybe he was still a little tired from what they all had been through.

Ryou thought that breakfast could wait and headed upstairs himself, passing Marik's bedroom door and found it open and no one inside, Ryou moved on to Bakura's room, he glanced up and gasped out of shock as he almost ran into Marik. "Here you are." The tanned Demon purred as he walked forward.

"Marik." Ryou practically leapt away from him and backed up unknowingly into Marik's bedroom. He had been thinking on what to say to Marik when they came face to face after what had happened, he still felt guilty even though Bakura had forgiven him. "I'm so sorry that I hurt you." Ryou always found it best to apologize when in doubt.

"Really now?" Marik's hair was still dripping wet and droplets of water ran down his body, Ryou fought to keep his eyes locked with Marik's, as the towel wrapped about Marik's hips absorbed droplets.

Not knowing what possessed him to place his hand lightly against Marik's wet chest and held it there over where an ugly wound should have been, even though Ryou didn't really know how it all happened or where they had ended up, he knew that he had tried to kill Bakura and Marik for some reason.

"I am so sorry Marik, if there is anything I can do to make it up to you just name it." Ryou wanted to slap himself, was it okay to say such things to Marik? Bakura had explained that they were together, but how far did that _together_ go? What if he upset them?

"I want to claim a kiss." Marik purred as he grabbed Ryou about the waist and pulled him closer and lips met his in a kiss as Marik pressed himself against the Human, Ryou's knees went weak as lips parted and tongues met in a slow breathless kiss, Marik pulled back long enough to kiss down his neck as he opened the black robe and pulled it down off the Human's shoulders a little.

He slowly backed Ryou up to the bed, locked in another heated kiss, the Human pulled his lips away to gasp in air only to have Marik grab at his rear end and lifted Ryou up completely off his feet and against him and placed his arm against Ryou's back to keep them both balanced, Ryou had no choice but to wrap his legs about Marik's waist in fear of being dropped. The tanned Demon smirk when Ryou squeaked and was carried the rest of the way to the bed; Marik turned and sat down not having to move Ryou at all in his lap. "Marik, I don't think that this is a good idea." Ryou was slightly panting, what was with Demons and their sex-drive. "What about Bakura?"

"He can join us if he wishes." Marik growled pulling Ryou into another kiss as he moved more onto the bed taking Ryou with him and had slipped the towel off at some point and discarded it.

"Do you know how long we have waited for you?" Malik said as he crawled on his hands and knees onto the bed. "How much we have missed you?"

"No." Ryou shook his head as he glanced between Malik and Marik; his heart had never beaten so hard or fast before. Ryou would be lying if he said that he didn't find the two appealing and very attractive.

"A very, very long time." Marik said pulling at the black robe a little, it fell down Ryou's arms pooled at his elbows and his waist.

"Malik?" Ryou moaned and a shiver ran down his spine as Malik had moved in behind him and ran his hands down the Human's sides and belly under the tie about Ryou's waist, Marik growled as not only Malik's hand groped at Ryou, but rubbed against him as well. Ryou gasped and blushed as Marik bucked his hips up a little.

"Will you let us have you?" Marik asked as he gripped onto Ryou's hips, who gave him an unsure look as kissing had been as far as he had gotten with the two.

Malik turned Ryou's chin and kissed him over his right shoulder as Marik raked his hands down Ryou's chest and grinded himself against the Human with a soft growl. "Let us show you how much we love you." Marik purred his hardness pressed against Ryou and the tanned Demon shook with anticipation of taking his new lover.

Ryou bit his lip and groaned as his mind was trying to understand what Marik was asking, as Malik hadn't stopped what he was doing between his thighs and Marik pressed against him. Malik removed his hand as Marik sat up; Ryou had started to shake and looked as though he wanted to run from them. "What is it Ryou?"

Ryou was scared of being hurt even though he had been with Bakura many times over the week, but doing it with Marik and Malik was another thing and it was new to him, he had felt first hand at Marik's powerful arms and the strength of his hands, when the Demon had hugged him and partly ravaged him in the kitchen, he was far more stronger then Bakura and what would his Mate say if he was found in bed with them and said the first thing that came to his mind. "I should leave."

"What?!" Marik and Malik said in surprise they were both sure they hadn't done anything wrong but try to seduce the Human. "If you're only scared Ryou, I would never hurt you." Marik reassured him.

"Even though Marik is a ravenous beast in bed, he can also be very gentle." Bakura said suddenly as he had seemingly come from nowhere, as he titled Ryou's face up to look at him, Malik smiled as he rested his chin on Ryou's shoulder. "But don't let them seduce you into something you don't want to do." Bakura glanced at Malik and Marik saying. "They can be very persuasive when they want to be."

Bakura was much like Marik and had wet hair from the shower and had removed his clothing at some point. "You're okay with this?" Ryou asked as Bakura gave a heave of a sigh, Marik was having troubles keeping still, he could feel the Human's hardness against him as well and he gripped Ryou's hips even tighter adding to the faint bruises from where Bakura had gripped Ryou a little to tightly as well at some point.

"When I said we were together, this is what I meant… but you don't have to sleep with them if you don't want too." Malik gave a whimper and hugged Ryou tighter.

"We would still love you anyway no matter what you decide." Marik groaned and added. "But can you make it quick because I don't think I can hold out much longer." To emphasize his point Marik bucked his hips up and made Ryou gasp.

"I want to be with all of you however that is." Ryou placed his hands onto Marik's chest to keep his balance looking the tanned Demon in the eyes; Malik moved away and got off the bed for a second.

"You must be sure on what you want, we can wait for you." Marik said all playfulness gone, glad that he was in more control over his body now that the Season had passed or Ryou would have been on his back or hands and knees and taken when he had walked by his bedroom door.

"I'm okay with this." Ryou said glancing at Bakura then at Marik and the two moaned together suddenly, Bakura glanced at Malik to see his hands vanished under the black robe and between Marik's thighs a tube of lubricant now lay on the bed.

"Are you ready Ryou?" Marik asked as he lifted Ryou up and positioned himself at the entrance of the Human's body.

"Wait!" Bakura said as he moved cupping Ryou's face in both hands and kissed his flushed and slightly sweaty Mate on the lips with whispered words of affection and pulled away to only pull Malik towards him.

Ryou gasped and closed his eyes as he clutched onto the body under him as Marik pressed his way into his body with a grunt. Ryou wasn't used to the size of Marik and it took him a few moments to adjust to him.

Malik cried out Bakura's name suddenly, he was pushed to Marik's chest as he was taken from behind, Marik reached over Malik and pulled that damn robe open and pulled it away from Ryou and threw it, then pulled Ryou down onto him for a kiss, which also ended up with Malik's lips in the kiss as well as Marik thrusted into him, Ryou sat up as Malik moved and took Ryou's member in his mouth.

Marik gripped Ryou's hips so tightly that he was sure to leave bruises behind; never had he thought that he would be doing this again with Ryou in his life time and he was about to lose it. "Ready my love?" Marik asked but didn't wait for answer as he really started to thrust into Ryou's body, who met Marik's thrust for thrust.

The collectives of moans and grunts filled the room from all four, Malik had been the first out of them to cry out, followed by Bakura. Malik still had Ryou's member in his mouth until Marik rolled himself and Ryou so he was now on top, the Human's knees were up and dug into his sides as Ryou had wrapped his legs about Marik's waist. Ryou had groaned out Marik's name as he came and a few more thrusts from Marik and the heat constricted on him that drove the Demon over the edge and came deep within Ryou and moaned and all four collapsed to the bed panting and spent, not one wanting to move at all and settled for pulling each other closer and snuggled down for a hug, the world could wait just a little longer until they were ready to get up.

* * *

Later that night, Marik was the first to wake up to find Ryou completely laying on him and both Malik and Bakura were snuggled against him on each of his sides. The silence was shattered with the rumble of his stomach and reminded him that he really needed to feed since he hadn't feed in a week and he was famished. "I'm starving too." Bakura mumbled opening his eyes and stretched with a yawn.

"Me too." Malik said lifting his head off Marik's shoulder.

"A late night snack it is." Marik said glancing down at Ryou through the darkness to see that his Human was the only one still to be sound asleep.

Bakura moved from the bed as did Malik and both went in search of clothes, Marik shifted and tried to move out from under Ryou.

"W…what?" Ryou mumbled reaching up to rub one eye as he lifted his head from Marik's chest. "Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Everything's fine, we're just a little hungry." Marik cupped one side of Ryou's face with his hand and then kissed him on the lips. "Could I get you anything while I'm out? Are you hungry?"

"No." Ryou glanced at the clock that read 1:15 am. "Is so late."

"Go to sleep we'll back before you know it." Bakura said kneeling on the bed as Ryou rolled off Marik so the Demon could get up and Ryou rolled onto his back just as Bakura lent down to kiss him.

"Will he be okay?" Malik asked as he watched Ryou snuggle down and drift off back to sleep, Marik and Bakura joined him at the bedroom door. "Maybe I should stay incase in he gets lonely." Both Marik and Bakura grabbed each of Malik's arms to pull him out of the bedroom.

"You need to feed as well." Bakura said over the top of Malik's protesting.

"If I can't be in bed with Ryou than neither can you." Marik growled which stopped Malik's mumblings. "We are all freezing together." With that the three left the house.

A while later the three had found their victim for the night to feed from and were heading home, the three were unable to take flight due to the many Human's about the nightclub district. "You know the Humans have the right idea." Bakura suddenly mumbled.

"About what?" Malik asked glancing up at Bakura his arm linked with Marik's as the three moved around a group of people standing just outside a bar talking with each other.

"The nightclubs." Bakura watched a couple heavily making out against a wall just in the dark shadows of an alleyway. "Think about it, a place that's open all hours of the night and a room full of Humans." He turned his attention back in the direction he was walking in.

"An endless supply of food." Marik mumbled with a smirk liking where this conversation was going.

"Eating the clientele." Malik laughed, he couldn't help himself, he found it funny; Bakura and Marik shot each other a rather large grin.

"It would save this tedious hunting on the occasion and then there is the issues of the weather, getting stuck out in the rain." Marik said, their attention went straight to Malik who's arm dislodged from Marik's arm and the half Demon stumbled back a little due to the Human that ran into him.

"Watch where you're going!" The Human snapped before he saw who he had waked into.

"You just made my night." Malik grinned at Honda.

"Isn't it late for little boys to be out at this time of night?" Bakura raised an eyebrow, but really this couldn't have been planed any better, there was no Ryou around to disapprove of all the not so pleasant ideas that came to mind that Bakura wanted to do to the Human.

"I... I'm on my way home." Honda turned to leave; Marik and Bakura grabbed both of his arms to stop him from leaving.

"You should hang." Marik gave a fanged grin that he saved for tormenting his victims and Honda paled his voice failed him and his mouth only opened and closed.

"A lesson, Human, could be learnt tonight on why you should stay away from _my_ Human." Bakura hissed at him.

"Your what?" Honda looked from Marik to Bakura and back again confused and now very scared.

"Ryou, they're talking about Ryou." Malik huffed.

"Ryou is my friend." Honda protested as he was now being pulled away from the larger crowds of people.

"Not anymore." Bakura growled as the darkness of the night swallowed them up and no one noticed the three Demons dragging the Human away with them.

* * *

Across town and in a long line up of cages that held barking dogs, ranging in breeds, three figures moved in the darkness searching each cage they came across. "Master, I found him!" The Servant called out.

"Open it!" He commanded as he walked over, the Servant nodded her head as she ripped open the caged door with hardly any effort at all.

The second Servant and the youngest of the small group followed her Master closely behind and kept a watchful eye out just incase they would be attacked, the Master wasn't even close to being well enough to be in the Human Realm just yet, but the loss of contact on his Pet had brought him out from the safety of their home to find after the Witch had confessed to interrupting the Master's plans for her own reasons.

The Master crouched down looking into the cage to see his Pet huddled at the back of the cage naked and in his Human form. "Duke?" He twitched at the rare use of his name and glanced up at his Master.

"The Witch came and I've been stuck in here." He choked out in a sob.

"I know." The Master watched as Devlin crawled out of the box like cage only to collapse into his Master's arms. "Ishizu has been punished." The Master said as he pulled off his cloak and wrapped it about his Servant. "What did she do to you?" The Master whispered as Devlin clutched onto him.

The Master had sent out his Pet to this town in search of someone the Master was looking for, only to now find out what the Witch had had done to Devlin in his first week of being in town, and she had wiped his memories and blocked his powers and left him trapped in his dog form and at the mercy of the Human's.

The two Servants took Devlin from their Master and helped him to his feet; the shape-shifting Servant was weak from lack of food and stiff from lack of movement. "Make sure to give him something warm to eat, a hot bath and plenty of rest." He gave his Servants an order. "Then bring Ishizu to me."

"Aye, Master." With that they vanished from the Human Realm.

* * *

The next morning, Bakura pulled his car to a stop in the school's car park. "I'll pick you up this afternoon."

"I have a ride home." Ryou smiled as Bakura frowned.

"Who?" Bakura asked wanting to know.

Ryou lent over and kissed Bakura on the cheek. "You might know him, blonde, tanned skin, a real cutie, drives a motorbike and goes by the name of Malik."

"Oh him, his been a thorn in my side for sometime now, always taking your attention from me." Bakura playful scolded.

"Jealous?" Ryou asked grinning.

"Very." Bakura purred as he pulled Ryou into a deep kiss, the leather seats of the car creaking with their movement, the sound of a motorbike came and Ryou pulled away to catch his breath and glanced about as Marik pulled up along side them, with Malik on the back.

"That would be him now." Ryou jumped out of the car and rushed over to Malik throwing his arms about his neck for a hug.

"Where's mine?" Marik pouted as he got off the bike, Ryou turned about and gave Marik a hug and a kiss, that the tanned Demon turned the kiss into something more passionate, Malik chuckled.

"Marik!" Bakura said sharply getting his attention as he lent on his car. "We have somewhere to be."

Marik grinned as he glanced at Bakura while holding Ryou in a hug. "Oh, right." He gave Ryou a quick kiss to his lips. "Got to go, Humans to hunt, people to eat." Marik gave Ryou's rear end a firm squeeze on his way past, Ryou squeaked and blushed.

Bakura took the few steps and pulled Ryou into his arms purring as he nuzzled his nose into the Human's hair. "Don't worry I'll have your things by this afternoon." He felt Ryou tensed up, and Malik frowned as he gave the pale Demon a curious look.

"Just be careful." Ryou warned him as he pulled back enough to push himself up on his toes to kiss his Mate on the lips.

"I will, so don't worry." Bakura reassured him. "You want everything from your room?" Ryou nodded his head yes.

"Hey Ryou!" Joey called out waving and standing by him was Anzu.

"Come on!" She waved him over.

Ryou gave them a small wave, glad to see Joey again in what seemed to be a long time. "Go on Ryou everything will be fine." Bakura said again giving Ryou a small push towards his friends.

"Malik?" Ryou smiled at him.

"I'll be there in a second." Malik shot him a wink as Ryou jogged off to join the two near the front doors to the school.

Ryou stopped half way and turned giving them both wave and called out. "Thank you, Bakura!" The pale Demon just grinned.

"What's going on?" Malik asked.

"Marik and I are going to get all of Ryou's things from his apartment." Bakura shifted on his feet a little under the narrowed stare Malik had on him.

"Lets get moving!" Marik said from over the roof of the car.

"Wouldn't it be easer to buy Ryou new clothes?" Malik asked and he didn't mind Ryou getting around in his clothes.

"No." Bakura said. "Ryou doesn't want new clothes he wants his own and most of his belongings are left at the apartment."

"I see." Malik mumbled, the further away Ryou was to that apartment and his father the better he could relax. Malik then glanced at Bakura and wondered what the other's motive was behind him going and retrieving said belongings.

Malik shifted on his feet, knowing Ryou was well out of earshot. "Just keep in mind that Ryou still for some reason wants his father around and very much able to walk."

"I was thinking just to maim him a little." Bakura had lifted his hand and placed his thumb and forefinger a few inches apart for Malik to see.

"No." Malik scolded him. "Get Ryou's things and leave his father alone." He growled at them both in warning, than sighed. "I got to go." He walked up and kissed Bakura on the lips and gave Marik a wave as he turned then rushed away to catch up with Ryou.

"Do you think Ryou would really notice if we killed him?" Marik asked watching as Ryou talked with Joey and the girl.

"Probably." Bakura turned and glanced at Marik. "But we should get moving I wish to get the old man while he's at home."

* * *

A little later Bakura and Marik stood outside Ryou's apartment door, each holding a few cardboard boxes in their arms. "Should we knock?" Marik asked staring at the door.

"No." Bakura said as he placed everything down near his feet and started to pick the lock and in no time the door popped open and he flashed Marik a wide fanged grin as he picked everything up again and stepped inside, the tanned Demon followed him closing the door behind them.

"I can't believe Ryou lived here." Marik growled as he glanced about at the state of the apartment it had looked okay when they had first came here, but now it was just a big mess, from bottles of alcohol sat on every possible surface in the living room, dining and kitchen, clothes and newspapers were also in the mess and the t.v was left on with no picture but static with the volume turned right down. "Well the old guy isn't in here." Marik said walking in a little more.

"House keeping!" Bakura called out as he walked down he small hallway and pushed open the main bedroom door to find it empty. Bakura then turned and pushed Ryou's bedroom door open and what they were met with only made them angry. "What are we going to tell Ryou now?" Bakura asked with a growl, his Mate's bedroom had been the tidiest part of the apartment and now it was trashed. The bed was tipped over, books and papers torn up and thrown about the room, clothing was ripped up and left where they had been thrown about the room, nothing was left untouched.

"Lets just see what we can salvage and explain to Ryou what we found." Marik stepped in and glanced about as he placed the boxes down near his feet.

They had been packing for a while of what they could that belonged to Ryou and things that weren't damaged in anyway. A few photos of a very young Ryou that looked to be about the age of seven, there were a few of a young Ryou and a woman and Ryou's father, all looked happy, were savable from the broken frames they were in. A shoebox Marik found stored in the back of the closet was full of odds and ends. "This looks interesting." Marik said as he pulled off the shoebox lid. "A few drawn pictures..." Marik mumbled, they were mostly grey sketches of beautiful sceneries. "It would seem Bakura, that our Ryou is an artist." Marik hadn't even glanced up when he re-rolled up the paper and placed everything back into the shoebox along with a few more pictures of what Marik guessed where Ryou's family.

Marik and Bakura had packed the three boxes of Ryou's things into the car. "Wait!" Bakura headed back into he building.

"What?" Marik followed him back into the apartment.

"Ryou's bag, he packed for himself with most of his clothes and other things." Bakura started to move about the living room. "It's here somewhere."

"I'll check the bedroom again." Marik dashed off, when the front door slammed open suddenly.

"Who the hell are you?" He asked the stranger in his house and for the life of him he couldn't remember where he has seen this guy before and double checked the numbers on the front door to see if he had the right apartment.

Bakura straightened up and gave Ryou's father a fanged grin. "Alone at last."

"Found it, it was…" Marik trailed off upon seeing the old guy standing before him and shared the same grin Bakura had and dropped the packed bag onto a chair, watching Ryou's father like a cat would its prey.

"I feel a very needful and heartfelt conversation about Ryou and how you are never going to bother him again." Marik moved so fast across the room and Ryou's father turned to leave and ended up running face first into the door that he knew he had left open and busted his nose.

"Did that hurt?" Marik asked as he removed his hand from the door. "Let me help you up." He ripped the guy up to his feet and walked him into the living room while he held his bleeding nose, but he was still so drunk that he could hardly keep up with Marik's long strides and he stumbled a little and Marik let him go and the Human fell hitting his head on the armrest of the couch.

"Clumsy." Bakura said as Marik growled and grabbed the guy again and forced him to sit down on the couch.

"I haven't seen Ryou in a few weeks." He looked from Bakura to Marik.

"I would like to keep it that way." Bakura bent down at the waist slightly grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt and pulled him forward. "Now listen to me." Bakura allowed his dark eyes to bleed slowly and turn crimson for show, Ryou's father started to shake but couldn't tear his glaze away as teeth became too sharp for any person. "I'm going to give you one chance to keep your miserable little life that you have."

"What?" He was starting to sober up from his night of drinking, Bakura growled and slapped him one, the pain intensified because of his broken nose and cried out holding his face.

"Wasn't the answer I was looking for?!" Bakura growled his fangs visible when he spoke and gave him a shake, knowing full well that slapping him about wouldn't leave any marks that could be used on them later on.

"Again, you want to live?" Bakura this time let his large black feather wings out from his back, and the Human went into a ramble of incoherent words and shut his eyes tightly in hopes that when he reopened them the creature would be gone.

"Fuck, this is pathetic." Marik mumbled crossing his arms over his chest, even though Malik shared the same thoughts that this Human should be killed, they all respected Ryou's wishes to let him live, for now away.

The room grew suddenly cold and shadows moved as Bakura became even angrier at not getting the Human cooperate with him. "You want to live mortal?!" Bakura shook him and the man cried out.

"Yes! Yes! I want to live! Let me live!" He had wised that he hadn't of opened his eyes as, whatever it was looked even more frightening than before.

"If you see Ryou in town or wherever, you'll not talk to him, you won't even look at him, you'll turn and walk away. You leave Ryou alone, you get to live." Bakura released him and straightened up.

"What do you want with Ryou?" He blurted out shaking. "He's my son."

"No." Bakura narrowed his crimson eyes and growled out. "Ryou's _my _Mate." Ryou's father screamed out in seer panic of fear as the shadows in the living room came to life and wrapped themselves about his arms and legs holding him in place on the couch. "Do you understand?" Bakura hissed out adding for the drama and horror in tormenting the Human. "Or shall I pull you down with me to the depths of Hell?" Bakura laughed as Marik grinned.

"Get'em off!, Get'em off!" He screamed out struggling about to get free. "I'll do anything just leave me be!" His movements were getting slowed down as Bakura's powers tightened their hold on the Human to the point of crushing him to death slowly. The pale Demon now finding it hard to let the man go, knowing what he had tried to do with Ryou.

Marik glanced at the Human who was slowly turning blue from being constricted, then at Bakura who gritted his teeth watching his powers that were slowly killing the Human. "Bakura." Marik took a few steps closer knowing Bakura wouldn't willingly pull back. "Let him go before you kill him." Nothing happened Bakura didn't move and neither did his shadows. "Bakura!" Marik snapped this time getting his attention. "Let him go." Marik ordered him.

Bakura growled as he stepped back. "Stay away from Ryou." With that he turned and walked by Marik, who watched the shadows retreat back to where they had been conjured. Marik turned his attention to the guy that was coughing and mumbling under his breath on the couch.

"I promise I'll stay away." He mumbled over and over again almost sobbing like a punished child.

"Ryou belongs to us now Human, and if you wish to live you'll heed our warnings and stay away from him." Marik growled as Ryou's father now stared at him, blood from his nose was over some parts of his face and down his neck and chest. "You know Ryou was much more of man then you when he saw us for what we really are." Marik grabbed him by the hair and pulled him forward.

"My command Human is that you'll not pass this off as some random drunken dream, but a frightening reality." Marik's eyes flashed crimson and glanced down as he noticed something and heaved a sigh, "Humans." He noticed a large wet patch on the couch as the man had truly wet himself in his fear. Marik shook his head. "Say goodnight." Before he knew what was coming, Marik punched him out cold and watched as the Human fell to the couch unconscious.

Marik walked towards the front door, his wings vanished into his back as he plucked up Ryou's bag and left the apartment.

* * *

Later that day Ryou, Malik, Joey, Yugi and Anzu sat under the tree and ate their lunch together, Malik had spat out his lunch and almost choked when Joey mentioned the Healer and what he had done for him. "So we took the drive out to this really nice house where…"

"Seto!" Malik choked out coughing while trying to down his food. "Seto, the I'm too good for the world, Seto? Seto Kaiba?"

"Yes, Malik!" Joey rolled his eyes. "Anyway, this place is awesome and Serenity is getting the best care…"

"How could you even be with someone like Seto?" Malik interrupted again. "You know he's a." Ryou placed his hand over Malik's mouth.

"It's not our place to say Malik." Ryou hissed at him.

"What that Seto is a … Demon" Joey whispered and nervously shifted in his place. "I know you think that I'm crazy to say something like that, but he is." He glanced away waiting for them to laugh at him, but it never came.

"Malik's a Demon." Ryou said taking his hand from Malik's mouth and sitting back in his place.

"Half Demon, Ryou." Malik corrected him. "I was Human once."

"Really?! I thought you were a full Demon?" Ryou said sounding surprised.

"Half Demon. Do you still love me?" Malik grinned as Ryou lent over and kissed him soundly on the lips.

"You were saying?" Yugi coughed out as he pushed aside something on his lunch tray with a look of disgust that he even considered eating it in the first place.

Ryou pulled away as Malik growled at the short teen. "Well I'm Mated to Bakura who's a Demon and there is also Marik." Ryou shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm the one Mated to Marik." Malik said.

"Yami is one as well." Yugi spoke up. "But he is the Demon Lord and I'm Mated to him." Yugi frowned and bit his lip glancing about just as nervously as Joey had. "Just don't tell my Grandpa yet, he doesn't know."

"Wow, I had no idea you guys where this involved." Joey laughed. "I was freaking on how to tell you guys."

"What about you Anzu?" Malik asked, nudging her with his foot. "What Coven do you belong to?" He hadn't missed the knowledge of the girl being a Witch when he had first laid eyes on her.

"Me?" She blinked a few times." Well, I'm only just starting, but I got an invitation to study in Venice on Witchcraft."

"But, I thought you were a Demon?" Joey looked confused for a second. "I mean you work in that place that Seto put Serenity into."

"Oh, I do work there, Joey." Anzu smiled as she pulled apart her bread roll. "But it's a part time thing and I like it."

"You were saying Joey." Yugi said turning back to the subject that they had been on before.

"Oh, right, so Seto got Serenity into this place to be taken care of by Demon Healers. Something about Vampire Pet's can't survive without their Master and only Demon's can help her now and he'll drive me anytime I want to see her and I couldn't be happier where she is."

"Seto?" Malik blurted out again, Ryou rolled his eyes, Anzu grinned, Yugi raised an eyebrow as Joey gave the half Demon a scolding look him. "Seto doesn't do anything for anyone unless he's getting something in… oh, OH!" Malik just about yelled out. "How could you?! It's SETO!"

"Malik give is a rest." Ryou said.

"He's Mated to the most cold-hearted bastard know to the Demonic Realms." Malik shook his head. "Does he even have a heart that beats?"

"Malik, that's rude." Ryou hissed at him.

"Same could be said for Bakura and Marik." Yugi glanced up.

"You got something to say about Marik?!" Malik growled his fangs lengthening and eyes turning crimson.

"Calm down Malik." Ryou placed his hand on the Half Demon's shoulder.

"Just saying that none of us really knows what our Mats are really like." Yugi shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm glad." Joey said. "For the first time in a long time I have someone and he is really looking out for me and now my Sister as well and I didn't even ask him too."

"I'm happy for you Joey." Anzu said.

"Me too, Joey." Ryou added.

"Same here." Yugi grinned at him.

"Seto?" Malik said again.

"That's it." Ryou growled out as he, Yugi and Joey all tackled Malik in a mock fight rolling about the grass.

Anzu sighed heavily as she watched them. "Boys."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Malik pulled up to a stop outside the mansion and helped Ryou off the back of the motorbike. "Bakura and Marik should be home now." Malik rushed up to the door and stopped when Ryou hadn't followed him. "What's wrong?" He asked worriedly.

"Well." Ryou bit his lip for a second, then saying. "As soon as I walk through that door this house will be my new home." Malik dropped his bag and helmet near the front door and approached Ryou.

"No, Ryou this isn't your home." Malik wrapped his arms about him in a hug and suddenly more arms joined Malik's and Ryou found himself in the center of a hug.

"We have lost to many places that we once called home." Marik said.

"So now our home is wherever we are and can be together." Bakura said kissing the side of Ryou's cheek.

"So do you still wish to move in with us?" Malik asked, nervously watching as Ryou glanced up at the house and heaved a sigh.

"Yes." Ryou nodded his head and with that he was guided into the mansion's front doors and his new life.

* * *

**The End**

Yes, I am finally done and a long chapter at that, so who here forgot about Duke? I know i didn't, but anyway your thoughts on the ending or of the entire story. So now, I'm moving on to re-do Demon's of the Night, which I'll be posting soon. Anyway**, Review** please**. **(Love and Cookies)


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